


Painkillers

by DeadMilitia



Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Bullying, Child Neglect, High School, M/M, Scomiche, mild violence, past self-harm, sup3rfruit - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-01-03 19:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 46,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12153465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadMilitia/pseuds/DeadMilitia
Summary: Mitch is the most hated student at Philmont Academy. He tries his hardest to be invisible. Things were going well until Scott starts his first year there. Scott didn't understand why everyone hated the adorable brunette with the sad eyes.After a warning from Mitch's dad, he tries hard to stay away from Scott. Unfortunately Scott refuses to stay away. When Mitch starts to develope feelings for Scott he knows his feelings are risky.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Scomiche story. Yay! These first two chaptes are not edited because my life is crazy and I just didn't have time to edit. Just so you know, I don't have WiFi at home, so uploads will be once a week maybe twice if I can get to the library. It also depends on having time to write. A little insider, my little sister was diagnosed with cancer last year at age 11 and spent 6 months in the hospital. She's in remission now but the chemo she got was aggressive so it left her with a lot of medical problems we're still working through. The biggest one is that she has to learn to walk again and is wheelchair bound. So life is pretty crazy with her.

Philmont Academy was going to be Scott's new home for the next four years. He had been in boarding schools before but always went home for the summer and the holidays. Now that was over. He would be spending the next four summers and holidays in this school. He knew other students were in the same position and he had even been told that the school did stuff at the holidays for students who stayed and they had summer activities. He could survive this.

It was the weekend before the first day of school and Scott was trying to get used to the campus. He had already had the tour and generally knew where everything was. At least he knew where the important things were. He had also met a girl named Kirstie who he had pretty much stuck to since getting here. She had also introduced him to Avi and Kevin. They were a year ahead of him but had taken him into their cirlce. He had learned that they all had been here since middle school.

It was Saturday and school starts Monday. Scott was nervous about keeping up with the classes. He had always been a good student but that didn't stop his nerves. They were currently sitting in the dining hall for lunch. Scott was eating and listening to Avi and Kevin argue about something. It was all in good fun though because they were both smiling and Kirstie and Scott would laugh every now and then. Scott had joined the conversation late and wasn't entirely sure what the argument was about or what it was accomplishing.

Scott turned his attention away from the others at the table. He hadn't really met too many people yet. He noticed that it seemed everyone had their own groups. He could kind of tell what each group was probably into. They had uniforms they had to wear during school hours but afterwards they could wear their own clothes. There were a lot of rules involving outfits.

Scott's eyes landed on a brown haired student sitting by himself. He seemed so small compared to everyone else. Maybe because he was secluded. His eyes were scanning over the room as he picked at his food. He wasn't really eating he was just picking a part the sandwich on his tray. Scott watched as a few paper balls were thrown at the teen who jumped and his gaze instantly dropped to his tray. He somehow looked smaller then before.

"Who are you staring at?" Kirstie asked, following Scott's gaze.

"Who is that?" Scott asked, nodding his head in the teen's direction.

"That's Mitch Grassi," she answered, not sounding too impressed. Scott's eyes stayed on the teen until his eyes moved up to Scott's and instantly back to his tray. Scott looked away because he had been caught staring.

"Yeah, the school's resident snitch," Kevin said.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, glancing back at Mitch to see him watching Scott. His gaze instantly dropped again once he realized he had been caught staring.

"He's the Headmaster's son. He tells his dad everything and if you hang out with him then you better hope you're the perfect student." Avi explained.

"Yeah, he's daddy little spy," Kevin added.

"Is that why he's alone?" Scott asked, looking over just in time to see someone walk by and drop a bowl of something into Mitch's lap. Mitch didn't seem to react very much, he just stared at his lap while the guy said something that Scott couldn't hear. The guy walked away laughing with the others who had seen what he did. Scott felt bad for Mitch as he placed the bowl on his tray and tried to clean up. Scott figured he should listen to his friends but he felt bad for Mitch. Once he saw Mitch wipe at his cheek as if he was crying his need to help got the best of him. He stood up and grabbed some extra napkins before walking over to Mitch's table.

"Hey," he said gently. Mitch glanced up before going back to trying to clean up what Scott assumed was chocolate pudding. "Here, I brought you some more napkins." Mitch looked up in confusion. He glanced around as if he was expecting something. He finally reached out a shakey hand, his eyes flicked between the napkins and Scott's eyes. It was like he expected Scott to do something mean. He took the napkins carefully before mumbling a 'thank you'. He began cleaning himself up and seemed very nervous.

"I'm Scott," he held out his hand. Mitch glanced at it before looking at his eyes. He didn't accept the handshake.

"M-Mitch," he replied.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, trying to show Mitch that he wasn't a threat. Mitch glanced around the room again and seemed to get more nervous. Scott looked around too and noticed people were watching them and talking. He felt bad for bringing so much attention to Mitch who obviously didn't want it.

"I-I'm fine," Mitch said, glancing around again. He had cleaned himself up as much as he would be able to for now.

"Alright, as long as you're sure," Scott smiled at him. He gave a small wave before walking back to his original table. He sat down and the other three at the table were staring at him like he was crazy.

"Did you not listen to anything we just told you?" Kevin asked and Scott shrugged.

"Just because I took him some napkins doesn't mean I'm going to hang out with him. He doesn't deserve to be treated that way," Scott pointed out. He had never felt that someone deserved to be treated badly no matter what they had done. Mitch seemed nice enough. He seemed scared when Scott approached him. He watched Mitch clean up his table before leaving the dining hall.

\-----------------------

Scott had spent the rest of the day finishing up his dorm room. He was sharing it with a guy named Matt who was hardly ever in the room except to sleep. He seemed to be pretty popular in the school but he was nice. Scott spent the day studying to get ready for the first day of school. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. Maybe it was because his parents were putting a lot of pressure on him because high school was important and they had high expectations of him.

Scott decided to stop studying and go for a walk before dinner. He quickly changed into gray sweat pants and a black t-shirt with a logo on it. He put on his work out shoes before grabbing his phone and earbuds then leaving the room. There was an exercise trail around the campus which was partially in the woods surrounding the campus. It was a nice day but still warm, not ideal weather.

He took out his phone and earbuds and put on some music to walk to. The one thing that had been on his mind since lunch was Mitch. He just seemed so small and scared. Maybe it was just how he looked but he wasn't actually as scared and vulnerable as he came across. Maybe he would turn into a jerk the longer you knew him. Either way, Scott kept thinking about how frightened he had been when he approached him. Scott had no intentions of hurting Mitch and honestly didn't think he looked intimidating. The last thing he saw himself as was intimidating.

Scott ignored most other people on the path. He really just wanted some time alone to think over some things. When he first saw Mitch he couldn't take his eyes off of him, he didn't want to. He still wants to get to know Mitch. He knew that he had a crush on Mitch. It was sully based on his looks though. Surely he would be over it in a few days or weeks. The other problem was that even if he didn't get over this little crush then he still wouldn't be able to admit to it. Nobody except himself knew he was gay. He hadn't even told his closest friends. He had tried so hard to deny what he was feeling but then he finally accepted it.

When Scott looked around the area he was in he found that he was surrounded by woods. There was about six feet of grassy area on either side of the path and then woods. Scott found it oddly calming. When he reached the end of the wooded area, it opened up a bit more into a large sitting area with benches and picnic tables. There were a few students out enjoying the sunny weather. Then Scott saw Mitch sitting far away from everyone else on a bench. He had his nose buried in a book and earbuds in his ears. Scott found himself feeling bad for Mitch again. He wondered if anyone socialized with him or if Mitch just lived life here alone.

Scott knew he should just keep walking but he soon found himself heading towards Mitch. The brunette had his feet on the bench, drawn up to a bent position as he read, and his back against one of the armrests. When Scott got next to him he expected Mitch to notice him but he didn't right away. He finally looked up and jumped, dropping his book against his chest. He glanced around nervously before slowly taking out his earbuds. Mitch didn't say anything but there was that scared look in his eyes again.

"Mind if I join you?" Scott asked and Mitch looked around again as if he wasn't sure that Scott was talking to him. He looked back up at Scott's eyes and the blonde tried to appear as harmless and kind as possible. Mitch sat up straighter and drew his knees closer to his chest to make room for Scott who gladly sat down. They sat in silence for a few moments. Scott wasn't entirely sure what to say. He wasn't even sure why he wanted to sit with Mitch. Maybe he just wanted to see for himself what type of person Mitch is.

"So, I hear your dad is the headmaster." Scott said, not knowing what to say. It wasn't even a question.

"Um, yeah," Mitch replied.

"This is my first year which you probably already knew. I don't know many people here yet." Scott knew what he was saying was pointless. Mitch already knew he was new here. Scott wasn't great at small talk.

"Yeah, I've been going to school here since I was old enough so I knew I hadn't seen you before." Mitch said quietly, fidgetting with the pages of his book. He suddenly jerked his hand away and winced, looking down as a small bit of blood oozed from the new paper cut.

"Ouch," Scott said, making a face at the paper cut. Mitch sucked on the finger for a moment before shaking his hand as if that was the magic cure to a paper cut. "Do you have any siblings?"

"A sister, but she goes to an all girl boarding school. Do you?" Mitch seemed nervous about asking. It was like he thought he wasn't allowed to answer or ask questions. Scott was glad he was at least talking a little.

"I have two sisters." Scott said, smiling at Mitch. They fell back into silence. "So, I noticed you seem to be alone a lot and I wondered if you'd want to sit with my friends and I at dinner. There's room," Scott offered. He noticed Mitch's face shift into discomfort and wished that he hadn't offered.

"You're new so you don't know much about me. In a way that's good because maybe if I explain what happened then you'll go easy on me. Either way, I'm not someone you want to be around. And I know for a fact that your friends don't want me at their table." Mitch said, his tone quiet and eyes down.

"Okay, then what happened?" Scott asked, he really was curious.

"It wouldn't matter if I told you or not. It's never mattered to anyone before. They hear the version everyone else believes and everyone thinks my version is fake. Thanks for trying, Scott, but it's honestly better if we don't talk." And with that Mitch stood up and started to walk away. Scott wanted to call for him to stop but he didn't. He really wanted to hear Mitch's version of whatever happened but it didn't seem he would be able to. Maybe he should just ask Kirstie because at least then he would have an idea of what happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Scott sat with Kirstie in the lounge. They were currently watching Avi and Kevin play a video game. They were far enough from the other two and they were so wrapped up in their game that they probably weren't paying attention to Scott and Kirstie's conversation anyway. It was Sunday night and curfew was in thirty minutes so Scott decided to just ask Kirstie what he wanted to ask.

"What happened with Mitch?" He asked, trying to avoid looking at Kirstie.

"What do you mean?" She asked, not looking up from her phone.

"Well, he said he wasn't going to tell me what happened because everyone says his version is fake." Scott explained, getting Kirstie to look up.

"You talked to him?" Scott nodded his head.

"I don't need the lecture. I just want to know what happened." Scott said, knowing that she was probably going to tell him to stay away from Mitch.

"We already told you, he tells his dad everything." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"There has to be more to it. Why would he say that I'd get a different version from you guys? Why wouldn't he just tell me that he doesn't tell his dad everything? That doesn't seem like a big enough deal for everyone to hate him." Scott pointed out. Kirstie sighed and glanced around before turning her attention back to Scott.

"When we were thirteen Mitch was dating an older student named Tyler. They were basically inseparable. Mitch's dad didn't like them being together anyway and was already pretty hard on Tyler for it. Of course he never took it out on Mitch. Well, then Mitch agreed to sleep Tyler but he later regretted it and claimed that Tyler forced him into. Well, Tyler obviously was mad because he had proof from texts that Mitch had sent that Mitch had enjoyed and there wasn't really much that could be done about it. Two weeks later Mitch got beat up which wasn't the first time and he blamed it on Tyler who wasn't even on campus when it happened. Mitch's dad used that as an excuse to punish Tyler for what he supposedly did to Mitch and expelled him." Kirstie explained. Scott stayed silent for a moment to process everything he had just heard.

"Why would that make everyone hate Mitch. It was an immature relationship between two people with an age difference. Mitch would have been in a different place mentally than Tyler. I don't get why that made everyone hate him." Scott said, trying to figure it out.

"Tyler was the best student here. He was Mr. Grassi's favorite student even while dating Mitch. Sure, Mr. Grassi wasn't happy about the relationship but he still adored Tyler until all of that happened. There was no evidence that Tyler ever did anything wrong but Mitch played it up and got Tyler expelled." Scott thought it over in his head. He wondered what version Mitch would give him. He could guess that it would be about not wanting to sleep with Tyler and then getting beaten up by him, but he wondered if there was more to the story.

"Look, just stay away from Mitch. He's not a good person to hang around. He ratted out other people for stupid things." Kirstie warned.

"Has anyone actually heard him tell his dad? Like how do people know he's the one doing it?" Scott wasn't sure why he wanted to believe that Mitch was good. There was no way that someone with those eyes could be a snake.

"Because his dad knows things that he shouldn't and the ones who get in trouble all say that Mitch knew what they did. It just makes sense for Mitch to be the one who told." Scott still tried to think of a way to debunk that as proof. Now he really wanted Mitch's side of the story.

\------------------------

Mitch sat on his bed with his laptop on his stomach. He was scrolling through tumblr and listening to music. He kept thinking about Scott even though he shouldn't be. Scott would soon hear the story from everyone else and then he would be like everyone else. Mitch knew how it worked. All new students soon saw him the same way as everyone else. He found that to be extremely unfair because those people didn't even know the real story, none of them were there when it happened. They didn't have a right to judge him because they don't even know him.

Mitch sighed when his phone went off. Nobody ever texted him except his family. When he saw the text was from his dad he felt his anxiety rise. Him and his dad didn't have the best relationship. That was one thing people didn't know. Everyone called him "daddy's boy" but that was the farthest thing from the truth. He barely spoke to his parents but nobody cared to know that. Mitch tried to pretend that he didn't see the text but he knew that would just make his dad angry. When he got a second text demanding that he come to the office he knew he better listen.

He took his time shutting down his laptop, getting up, putting on shoes, and leaving the room. He kept his head down as he made his way to his dad's office. He hated meeting people in the hallway because it was obvious were he was heading. He got teased and had rude comments made about "running to daddy." He tried to not listen and just keep his eyes down. Once he reached his dad's office he knocked on the large door and waited to be invited in. He still kept his eyes on the floor as he walked in.

"Mitch, come here and sit down. I'll be with you in a moment." His dad said, not looking up from the computer he was working on. Mitch had never had a real father-son relationship with his dad. It was always a very proper relationship. Mr. Grassi treated him just like the other students even outside of school. Mitch sat quietly and waited for his dad to tell him what he needed.

"I hear you've been hanging around the new student, Scott Hoying." His dad said, confusing Mitch. He didn't see why this would be a problem. It wasn't like he was really hanging out with Scott.

"Um, not really," Mitch said.

"I know you've been around him, Mitch." The stern tone his dad used had Mitch shrinking back more. "I wanted to be sure that you aren't getting any ideas. The last thing we need is a repeat of the Tyler situation. I'm only giving you one warning, Mitch, stay away from Scott. If I catch you with him there will be consequences." Mitch stared at his hands and waited for his dad to say he could leave. It wasn't like he was chasing after Scott. He knew his place in the school and that wasn't next to someone who would most likely be popular in a month.

"Do you understand?" Mr. Grassi asked, staring his son down. Mitch only nodded his head.

"Yes, Sir," Mitch said quietly.

"Good, you may leave now," Mr. Grassi said before going back to work. Mitch got up and left the room. He knew what his dad was really warning against. He didn't want Mitch to be in a relationship with Scott. He didn't support Mitch being gay. He had even hit Mitch when he came out. Coming out was sort of Mitch's way of rebelling against his parents. He regretted telling his parents. He had honestly never been more afraid of his parents then at that time. Then he met Tyler who quickly asked him out. Mitch was still afraid of his parents but he had also been angry so he dated Tyler to spite them.

Mitch knew his dad's warning was serious. Especially after what happened with everything with Tyler. During that time Mitch was constantly afraid of his dad. People blamed him for Tyler being expelled but they didn't know the full story and they wouldn't listen if he tried to explain. Mitch knew he had to stay away from Scott.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is going to be pretty sad and angsty. Everything I write is like that. I also have some ideas for some Scomiche oneshots so check back from time to time if you want to read those. I also have an Instagram for my obsessions. It's Tru-Oddball and I post on there when I post new stories.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My little sister is done with physical therapy for now so I can no longer mooch off of the free WiFi at the hospital. I will try to get to the library at least once a week to update though. And I know I made Kevin, Avi, and Kirstie kind of jerks in this but I swear they won't continue to be through the whole story. I just tried to make it the typical school kind of thing where gossip changes your opinion on certain people.  
> Just letting you know that the word fag/faggot is used in the next two chapters.

Mitch did as always and kept his head down to avoid looking at anyone. For some reason he thought he would be tormented less if he didn't make eye contact but it never worked. Someone stuck out there foot at the last minute making Mitch fall. He winced when his knees and hands made harsh contact with the polished floor. Before he could get himself together and stand up again, there was a hand stretched out to him. He didn't have to look up to know who it was. There was only one person who was nice to him. Mitch didn't take Scott's hand instead he stood up himself. He couldn't be seen with Scott but the blonde wasn't getting the hint. Mitch had already tried telling Scott to leave him alone but the blonde wouldn't listen.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, glancing over at the people who tripped Mitch. Everyone was staring and whispering, some with disgusted looks. Scott didn't understand why everyone was so against him being nice to Mitch. The other teen obviously needed some kindness.

"I'm fine," Mitch mumbled before walking away. He was aware that Scott was right beside him but he tried to ignore him. His dad's warning was still present in his mind. He didn't want to find out what his dad would do to him if he was caught with Scott. He didn't think it was fair that he was told to keep away from Scott. The first person in two years who actually wants to be friends with him and he's told to stay away from him. It wasn't fair to have to live his life in loneliness.

"Can you please leave me alone?" Mitch asked quietly, glancing up at Scott who seemed way too happy. Nobody was ever that happy to be with Mitch.

"Why?" Scott asked, furrowing his brow.

"Because it's not good to be around me." Mitch sighed, wishing he could just tell Scott why he needed to stay away.

"Why not?" Scott asked.

"Because the more you hang out with me the more people talk." Mitch said, referring to the rumors he had been hearing. They ranged from him and Scott dating to him being Scott's whore. He didn't want people to spread those things around because he didn't want his dad to hear it.

"Who cares what they say?" Scott said, smirking a little. Mitch stopped and glanced around the hallway. Nobody was close enough to him.

"Come to my room after classes." Mitch whispered before walking away. Scott stood and stared after the small brunette.

"Why do you keep talking to Mitch?" Scott turned to see Avi standing there.

"I don't know, there's just something about him." Scott confessed.

"Yeah, that something isn't good. As soon as he has you in his web he'll destroy your life." Avi warned, causing Scott to roll his eyes.

"I don't see how someone like that can be what everyone says he is."

"Just watch your back." Scott turned to go to his next class. He was tired of hearing everyone put Mitch down. How could someone with such a baby face be that bad?

\----------------------

As soon as class was over, Scott practically ran to his room. He got changed into a pair of jeans and a purple t-shirt with a logo on it. He slipped on his converse, grabbed his phone, and left the room. As he walked he realized that he had no clue where Mitch's room was. He figured he could ask one of his friends but then they'd want to know why he was asking. He decided to ask someone he hadn't talked to yet. When he passed by two girls he stopped.

"Hey, do you know what room Mitch Grassi is in?" He asked, getting a weird look from them.

"Um, yeah, room 265," the red headed girl replied, looking at him odd.

"Thanks," Scott said. He walked away before they could say anything. He already got enough from Kirstie, Avi, and Kevin. He didn't need it from people he didn't know. He made his way to Mitch's room and knocked on the door. There was some moving around behind the door and then it went quiet. It took a few seconds before the door cracked open and Mitch peeked out. He opened the door more to let Scott in, waving his hand a little to invite him. Scott walked into the room. It was set up like a normal bedroom. There was only one bed and all of the decorations and furniture a normal fifteen year old kid would have in their room.

"So, why did you ask me to come here?" Scott asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"You need to stay away from me." Mitch said, stuttering a little. He was afraid of Scott. He didn't let anyone in his room because it put him in a vulnerable state.

"Mitch, if this is because of those people out there, then that's not right. I don't care what they think because I don't think the same." Scott said softly, hoping Mitch would calm down. He didn't like seeing Mitch be afraid of him.

"It's not that," Mitch said, frustration coming out. He didn't know how to get Scott to leave him alone. Should he just tell Scott? But what if Scott turned around and told everyone?

"Then what is it?" Scott questioned, crossing his arms. The only thought Mitch had was that Scott was angry now.

"I-I can't tell you," Mitch mumbled. He took a step away from Scott. He didn't want to the tall blonde in his room anymore.

"I think I deserve to know why. I haven't done anything to you but be nice." Scott's tone was aggravated which made Mitch back up more.

"I'm sorry," Mitch mumbled, fearing what Scott was going to do. Scott moved towards Mitch quickly. "I'm sorry!" Mitch said loudly, putting his hands up over his face in defense. Scott stopped and stared at Mitch in confusion.

"Did you think I was going to hurt you?" Scott asked, reaching out to take Mitch's wrists when he didn't lower them. Mitch flinched away from Scott. The blonde gently lowered Mitch's arms, looking into the fearful brown eyes in front of him. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry," Scott let go of Mitch's wrists.

"I'm sorry," Mitch mumbled, sniffling a little. He was scared but he refused to cry. Crying only made things worse for him.

"You don't have to apologize. And you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Scott said, backing away from Mitch a bit to give him room. He didn't want Mitch to feel threatened by him.

"Just, please stay away from me, Scott. It's better for both of us." Mitch seemed sad and Scott wanted to ask why but he wanted to respect Mitch's wishes.

"Okay, if you really don't want me around then I'll leave you alone." Scott said, forcing a small smile. He gave Mitch a small wave before leaving the room. Mitch wanted to ask Scott to stay but forced himself not to. If the situation was different then he would have liked to be friends with Scott. It wasn't fair that he had to seclude himself from the one person whose liked him for the first time in a long time. His family doesn't like him. It wasn't good to spend your life alone but there wasn't anything he could do to change it.

Mitch stood in the middle of the room and felt alone. Part of him wanted to run after Scott and put effort into a friendship but he knew this was better for them both. Mitch just felt lonely. He didn't expect telling Scott to leave him alone would hurt so much. Maybe it was just because he really wanted a friend. He looked over at the bottom drawer of his desk and bit his lip. He hadn't needed what was hidden in that drawer for a long time. He didn't want to run back to it.

Mitch moved over to the desk and opened the drawer. He felt like a zombie, like he had no control over what he was doing. He took out the orange pill bottle and stared at it. There were no pills in the bottle. It had been from when he had a sinus infection a couple of years ago. Now it was used to hold his darkest secret. Two sharp blades were locked away in the bottle. Mitch stared at the bottle with tears in his eyes. He didn't want to turn back to this but he needed something to take the pain away. He was sad and lonely with no way to change that. He wanted a friend and he got so close to not being alone anymore just to have it taken away.

Mitch threw the bottle back into the drawer and slammed it shut. He slipped on his shoes and grabbed his phone, earbuds, and a book. He hated leaving his room because it was risky but if he stayed here he would end up doing something he didn't want to do. He left the room and tried to stay away from the students in the halls. There weren't many people in the halls. He was worried by how crowded it was outside. He couldn't handle anyone messing with him rigtht now. He was already on the edge.

He made his way to his normal bench and got comfortable. He put on some music and opened his book but couldn't focus on it. All that was going through his head was Scott. He kept reaching up to wipe away tears and sniffling. None of this was fair. He shouldn't have to be lonely but he is. He jumped when the book was suddenly yanked out of his hands.

"Awe, the little fag is crying. What's wrong? Did your boyfriend break up with you?" Mitch closed his eyes to try to stop the crying but it didn't work. He hated being weak in front of his bullies but he couldn't help it right now. He let himself cry as he was yanked off of the bench. He didn't fight because what was the point? Nobody cared anyway. Well, one person did but he couldn't let him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to "Hurt" by Get Scared while writing this chapter because I've been obsessed with that song lately and it definitely set the mood for the ending of this chapter. I'm really happy with how this turned out. I'm usually bad at making the first few chapters boring so I'm trying to not make the same mistake with this story.

Scott couldn't sleep and he knew leaving the building after curfew was against the rules but he needed some fresh air. There were fire escapes on the outside of the building and Scott opened the window to climb out. He was only wearing black sweat pants, a black band hoodie, and his running shoes. The moon was almost full so it was bright enough out that he didnt' need a flashlight to see. He started down the trail with his hands in the pocket on the front of his hoodie. He listened to the bugs and the slight breeze blowing around the trees. He didn't plan to walk the whole trail but he needed something to get his energy out and clear his mind.

He got a good ways past the picnic area when he heard something in the woods to his right. He stopped and looked around the trail before hearing it again. Everything in him told him to run away but he knew it was probably an animal or something and he was fine. His mind was still screaming at him that he was going to be murdered. When he heard what sounded like a groan his heart started pounding faster.

"H-Hello?" Scott called, looking around again. "Is someone there?" The noise came again and Scott debated checking it out. He took out his phone and turned on the light on it before walking towards the sound. It wasn't far into the woods before he found a person knealing in front of a tree. He shined the light on them and his eyes widen in shock.

"Mitch?" He rushed forward to the teen who had his hands tied behind his back and around the tree. "It's okay, I'm gonna get you free and we'll go to the nurse." Scott said, going to work at the knots used to hold Mitch in place. He worked on them for what felt like ever. Whoever did this made sure to knot the binding multiple times.

"You shouldn't be out here. You're going to get in trouble." Mitch said, looking over his shoulder at Scott.

"I'm glad I broke the rules. How long have you been out here?" Scott asked, finally getting Mitch free.

"Um, since shortly after we talked." He replied, wincing as he moved his arms around. His shoulders burned and his wrists were raw. He had been sitting here for hours. The only thing he was grateful for was that they didn't beat him up before leaving him here. Tying him up was as far as they went.

"My god, come on, you need to go to the nurse." Scott said, reaching out to help Mitch stand. The brunette stood and had to lean against the tree to keep from falling. His legs felt like jelly and were sore. He felt an arm wrap around his waist and his left arm was put over Scott's shoulders. He gasped as his arm was moved. It hurt a lot but he was thankful for Scott helping him.

"Scott, you can't go with me. You'll get in trouble," Mitch said as they began walking. He knew it was a bit of a walk back to the buildings and he dreaded the walk. He felt relieved that Scott found him though. Nobody else would have helped him. He wished he could believe that someone would see this as them taking it too far and help him but he honestly didn't think anyone would.

"You can't walk right, I'm not leaving. I don't care about the conversation we had earlier. As soon as I drop you off I'll leave you alone." Scott said, a hint of bitterness in his tone. Mitch was confused now. Scott was mad at him but he was still helping him. Scott was supposed to hate him now. He definitely sounded mad so he should have just laughed and walked away. But he was helping him instead.

Mitch sighed in relief when they finally got back to the buildings. They went to the school building and down the long hallway to where the nurses station was at. They had a night nurse but nothing really happened at night. When they walked in, the nurse was sitting on a chair and messing around on his phone. He looked up and seemed shocked when he saw them. He got up, leaving his phone on the table next to him. He came over to help Scott get Mitch to a chair.

"What happened?" The man asked, instantly looking over Mitch's raw wrists. The bindings had been really tight and cut into Mitch's skin.

"I found him out in the woods. Some bullies tied him up this afternoon and left him." Scott explained, looking at Mitch who was staring down at his hands.

"And what were you doing out at this time? You know that's against the rules, right?" The nurse asked, going to get some stuff to clean and bandage Mitch's wrists.

"Yeah, I know, I'll accept whatever Headmaster Grassi decides. But I'm glad I did it because he needs help." Scott said, staring at Mitch. In the light, Mitch could see how upset Scott looked. He looked scared and worried.

"I'm going to have to have you write down your information on that notepad over there and then return to your room." The nurse told Scott.

"What? But I want to stay with him." He argued, getting a sympathetic look from the nurse.

"I'm sorry but I need you to do that and return to your room. I promise that he's safe here. There doesn't seem to be any serious damage. I'll patch him up and send him to bed. You two can talk tomorrow." The man explained. Scott looked at Mitch before sighing and going over to write his information down. He wasn't even angry about getting in trouble. He knew he was running the risk when he left his room. He was mad because he wanted to stay with Mitch. After he got done writing everything down he gave Mitch one last look before leaving. He went back to his room and thought over what happened. Who would take things this far? Had they hurt him like this before?

\--------------------

Scott spent the day looking for Mitch but the teen never showed up to any of their classes together. He wasn't even at breakfast. He just wanted to know that he was okay. He knew he said he would stay away but he needed to be sure that Mitch was okay. He decided that after classes he would stop by Mitch's room to see if he was okay and then go back to staying away from him.

Scott got his food and went to sit at his normal table. He was sad to see that Mitch wasn't here for lunch. He didn't really expect him to be. When he sat down, the others were discussing something and he tried to keep up with it to figure out what they were talking about.

"I mean, it's not the worse thing they've done. I don't get why he didn't show up for classes. If that happened to anyone else they'd be forced to come to classes." Kirstie said, making Scott furrow his brow. He had a pretty good idea of what they were talking about but how would they know?

"That's because his parents are probably babying him right now." Kevin said, sounding uninterested in the conversation. He was currently taking apart the sandwich he had on his tray. Scott wasn't sure why Kevin seemed to take apart sandwiches and burgers before putting them back together and eating them.

"What are you guys talking about?" Scott asked, already sure he knew.

"Devon and Peter tied Mitch up yesterday and he was left for a few hours. They said they didn't intend for him to be left they just forgot. It's not the worse that's been done to Mitch but they're now in trouble for it and Mitch hasn't been out of his room all day." Kirstie said, taking a bite of her food.

"Do you know if he's okay?" Scott asked, picking at his food. He felt his stomach drop when she had said they did worse. What could have been worse than tying him up alone and defenseless in the dark woods?

"Probably because they didn't even hurt him. He was fine when he got back." Avi explained.

"I wonder how he even got back?" Kevin said, finally taking a bite of his sandwich. Nobody seemed to know.

"I found him," Scott said. He hadn't planned on telling anyone but he said it before he thought of it.

"What were you doing out last night? He came back in the middle of the night." Kirstie said quietly, seeming shocked.

"I needed to take a walk and I just came across him." Scott said, shrugging. "Are people talking about him?"

"Yeah, it's not that uncommon though." Avi said with a shrug. Scott looked over at the table that Mitch usually sat at and sighed. He would have to go see him after classes.

\---------------------------

Mitch sat in his dad's office and waited for him to tell him his punishment. He didn't understand why he was being punished. It's not like he willingly stayed out so late or that he asked Scott to help him. He didn't think he deserved a punishment but he wasn't about to argue with the intimidating man sitting across the desk from him.

"I told you to stay away from Scott Hoying." His dad said, staring at his son who stared at his hands.

"I didn't disobey, Sir. He just found me and I didn't even ask him for help." Mitch tried to explain, knowing it was pointless.

"You need to tell him to stay away from you." Mr. Grassi said causing Mitch to shrink into the chair more. His dad's tone was turning angry.

"I-I tried to but he won't listen." Mitch said, trying to stop his hands from shaking.

"Now you're going to talk back to me?" Mr. Grassi asked, standing from his seat, filling Mitch with fear.

"No, Sir," Mitch whispered, keeping his head down. His dad came to stand next to him and towered over the small brunette for a few menacing moments. He finally reached out and grabbed Mitch's chin, forcing him to look up at him.

"This is your last warning, Mitch. You stay away from him. You've already embarrassed this family enough with the Tyler crap. I'm not going to let you ruin our name by being a faggot. Understood?" Mitch only nodded. He was too scared to speak. His dad's fingers were digging into his skin and it hurt. His dad forced him to stare up at him for a few more seconds before finally letting go of him. "Now, get to your room. I'll deal with your punishment later." Mitch didn't argue. He jumped up and practically ran from the room. He went back to his room and as he approached the door he saw Scott standing at it knocking.

"Oh, hey, I was just coming to check on you." Scott said when he noticed Mitch.

"I'm fine," Mitch mumbled. Why can't Scott just leave him alone?

"Are you sure? Why weren't you in classes today?" Mitch glanced at the door to his room. Scott was still standing in front of it and he couldn't get to it without being stopped. He glanced over his shoulder in fear that his dad was watching him.

"Scott, I really can't be seen with you. I'm sorry," Mitch said, fear rising up inside of him. Scott was bigger than him. If he made him angry then he could easily hurt Mitch. The last thing the brunette needed was another person to hurt him.

"Why?" Scott was aggravated now. He didn't understand why it was so wrong for them to be friends.

"Please, Scott, you don't understand. It's safer for both of us if you just stay away." Mitch said, trying to hold back the tears. He just wanted to lock himself in his room and prepare for his punishment. Scott stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and throwing his hands out at his sides.

"Fine, whatever you want." He let his hands slap his thighes before shaking his head a little. "See ya around, Mitch." Then he was walking away. Mitch rushed into his room as the tears won. As soon as he was in his room he broke down. He hated his life. He hated everything. He went over and yanked open the bottom drawer of his desk and took out the pill bottle. He opened it and took one of the blades out before yanking up his shirt and making three deep gashes across his stomach quickly. He didn't care anymore. This made him feel better and that was what he needed right now.

He sat in the desk chair and made several more cuts on his stomach. It hurt more than he remembered because he hadn't done this in a while. After he was satisfied with the cuts he stopped. He watched them bleed as he cried. He grabbed the box of tissues and first aid kit he kept in his room and began cleaning up and tending to his wounds. By the time he was clean and no longer bleeding he was calm. Tending to his wounds had always been relaxing to him. Maybe that was why he did it. It wasn't the pain or the act of cutting that helped, maybe it was the care he gave himself. He sat in the silence and thought about what he just did.

He closed his eyes when he heard his door open. For the first time in a long time, he wished he was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mitchy! I'm so sorry!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one update today. I tried to get a second one done last night but it was a stressful night so I have half of the sixth chapter done. Hopefully next time will be a double update.

Scott had respected Mitch's wishes and stayed away from him. He spent more time on his studies and hanging out with Kevin, Avi, and Kirstie. He had also made friends with a few other people. The day after their talk in the hallway, Mitch showed up to classes with a bruise on his cheek. Scott wanted to ask Mitch if he was okay but he didn't want to make Mitch mad. It had been a week since then and they hadn't talked since. Scott would just look away when they passed each other. Mitch still caught him staring at meal times though. It hurt Mitch to stay away from Scott but after his "punishment" from his dad he knew it was best. His dad had promised him that it would be worse next time if he kept disobeying. Mitch felt more depressed now than before. Life went back to how it had been since the whole Tyler thing happened. Nobody talked to him except to insult him, he was shoved around, tripped, things were thrown at him, and he lived life alone. It was the same but he felt much more lonely and depressed. Maybe because he knew he could have had a friend with Scott. He spent so much time convincing himself that he was better off being alone. When Scott came around he broke Mitch's lie to himself. He made him realize how much he really wanted a friend. He can't have that though so he would work towards pretending to be fine again.

He was trying hard not to give in to the urges of harming himself but he had given in more than once. He wore long sleeves anyway to cover up his scars so the new cuts were also covered. Mitch laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He had already done all of his homework and all he ever did was study. His parents wouldn't let him play video games or really do much. They had high expactations for him because his sister was the top of her entire school. They had pushed her a lot too and Mitch knew she hated their parents just as much as he did. She still spoke to Mitch when she had the time but it was hard to stay at the top and be the perfect daughter. Mitch had never been able to live up to what his parents want and he knew that was part of why they hated him. And the fact that he came out as gay.

He gave up on living up to his sister because he knew he couldn't. As long as he wasn't the top of the school and was gay they were never going to accept him. He made the decision a long time ago that as soon as he graduated he was leaving and never coming back. He knew he would be cut off from his parents money and he would be alone but he didn't care. He would get a job and make it somehow. He had even be keeping a secret stash of money from his allowance. He planned to use to get away. Maybe he could forget this life, make friends, be free to be himself. Maybe he could be happy.

Mitch sighed and decided that laying in bed all day wasn't how he was going to spend his Saturday. He hadn't really been on the path or to his reading spot since being tied up. He hadn't really done much since then other than sit in his room on his laptop. He had started recording himself singing as a relief for everything going on. He missed preforming but nobody would want him the same stage as them so he quit auditioning for productions the school put on. He was in one after the Tyler situation and he decided he was never doing that again. He wanted to pursue music one day. Once he moved away and nobody from this place would ever see him again. Then he would do what he loves.

Mitch sighed as he stared at his laptop. He didn't really feel like singing right now. He looked out his window to see how pretty it looked outside. Nobody should have to be afraid of leaving their room. He thought it over before deciding to go out and read. He would just stay closer to the building instead of going on the path. He grabbed his new book before slipping on some shoes and grabbing his phone. He left the room feeling a little on edge. Those guys didn't get in trouble for what they did which means they wouldn't think twice about doing it again.

Once he got outside of the building he went to the fountain in front of the building and sat on the edge. It wasn't the most comfortable spot but at least he was close to the front doors and could make a run for it if he needed to. He would look up every time he heard someone coming towards him. He was too scared to listen to music right now.

After a while of sitting there he saw the two people he didn't want to see coming out of the building. He tried keeping his head down, using the book to hide his face. His heart was pounding. They were blocking his escape.

"Look who it is," one of the guys said. Mitch tried to ignore them in hopes that they would get bored and go away. "What'cha reading?" He asked, yanking the book away from Mitch who tried to grab it back.

"What the hell is this?" The other asked, flipping through the romance novel Mitch had been reading. "This is so gay," he chuckled. Mitch let out a small gasp when the guy threw the book into the fountain.

"No!" Mitch cried out, watching the book sink to the bottom.

"Awe, now you'll never know if they f.uck." The first guy teased with a smirk.

"I mean, I know one way he could get his book back." The second said, scaring Mitch.

"And what would that be?" The first asked, still smirking. They both moved towards Mitch who stood to run away. Before he could move they both shoved him hard. He fell back into the fountain, his head smacking the stone bottom. He felt disoriented for a moment before pulling himself up out of the water to breathe.

"Hey!" Mitch looked over to see Scott and Kevin coming towards them. He knew it had been Scott to yell since Kevin probably didn't care what happened to him.

"Come to save your boyfriend?" The first guy asked, crossing his arms. Scott got right in his face, looking furious.

"I suggest you leave him alone," Scott's tone was threatening.

"Or what?" The second guy asked.

"I'll beat the sh.it out of you." Scott threatened, staring directly into the guy's eyes. They both stared at Scott for a moment before chuckling.

"Let's get out of here. They're not worth it," the second guy said. They both walked away and Scott came over to Mitch who was still sitting in the water. He had been too scared to move.

"Come on," Scott offered his hand. Mitch glanced at Kevin who was staring at him. He took Scott's hand and the blonde helped him out of the water. Mitch's head was pounding and he reached a hand up to touch the back of his head. He winced with a small hiss of pain. "Did you hit your head?" Scott asked, moving to look at Mitch's head.

"You've got a knot," Scott said. Kevin moved to take a look too.

"You should go to the nurse." Kevin said, looking concerned.

"I-It's not the worse th-they've done." Mitch replied quietly.

"Yeah, but this is your head, Mitch. This is a little more concerning." Kevin explained, gently placing a hand on Mitch's shoulder to turn him slightly to look at the bump. Mitch flinced at the touch.

"Come on, we're taking you." Scott said, grabbing Mitch's hand so he couldn't get away. Scott held on to Mitch all the way to the nurse's office. Mitch didn't plan on running away from them but they were on other side of him and Scott was holding him and it made him feel safe. He knew nobody would mess with him with them beside him. When they got to the nurse she didn't seem surprised to see Mitch.

"What happened?" She asked, standing up to come over to Mitch.

"Some jerks pushed him into the fountain out front and he smacked the back of his head." Scott explained.

"He already has a bump forming," Kevin added. Mitch wasn't sure why Kevin sounded concerned.

"Come here and sit down." The nurse motioned to the examination table and Mitch sat down on it. "Thank you for bringing him. You boys can go now." Scott gave Mitch a sad look before giving a small wave and leaving the room. Mitch watched him leave with a frown.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm so happy to see this story getting so much love! Thank you, babes! Also, I uploaded a new Scomiche story. It's going to be a thriller because it is now Spooky Month! The story is called "Numb And Frightened."  
> Also, I'm not sure I ever mentioned this, but I was homeschooled so I have no clue how normal school works. So if somethings are wrong or weird, that's why.

It had been two months since Scott and Kevin pulled Mitch from the fountain. Scott limited the time he was around Mitch still. He would help him up if he was tripped or pushed and ask if he was okay but that was it. He wasn't sure why Mitch didn't want him around but he was learning to be okay with it. He was focusing more on his friends and studies. That didn't mean he didn't still wish Mitch would let him close. He wasn't sure what it was about Mitch but he wanted to protect him.

"So who are you inviting to the Halloween dance?" Kirstie asked, looking over at Scott and Avi. They were in Kirstie's room studying and talking about random things.

"I don't think I'm gonna ask anyone," Scott said. Nobody here knew he was gay and he wasn't about to tell anyone. Not after the way they treat Mitch. It was obvious the students here weren't going to be waving rainbow flags anytime soon.

"What? But what about Stephanie? She totally likes you," Kirstie pointed. Scott shrugged.

"I mean, she's nice but not my type." He said, keeping his eyes on the paper in front of him he had been writing notes down on.

"What is your type? I have yet to hear you say anything about any girl." Avi pointed out. Scott didn't like them staring at him.

"I don't know anyone well enough yet." Scott wished they would just drop it.

"That's exactly why you should ask Stephanie. You two have become close." Kirstie said, sounding confused.

"I just don't want to ask anyone, okay?" Scott snapped, finally looking up from his paper. They both stared at him for a moment before mumbling an 'okay'. Scott went back to writing down notes. The room felt awkward now. He finally sighed and looked over at them. "I'm sorry, I'm just... not interested in dating is all." It wasn't a total lie. He didn't want a fake relationship with a girl because that wasn't fair to the girl. And he definitely wasn't going to date a guy.

"That's fine, Scott," Kirstie said, her tone still quiet.

"Who are you going with?" Scott asked, not wanting to ruin their fun of talking about the dance.

"Jeremy asked me yesterday so I'm going with him. What about you?" Kirstie looked at Avi who was laying on the bed next to her.

"Uh, I asked Ariel a few days ago." He said with a small shrug. Scott listened to Kirstie and Avi talk about the dance as he worked. He wasn't even sure if he was going to the dance. It's not like he had to go. He could just stay in his room. He figured that was what Mitch does. Scott stopped writing as soon as that thought passed his mind. He felt bad for assuming that Mitch wouldn't go but he couldn't see Mitch being the dance or party type.

"Kevin said that Ryan and James are having an after party in the woods. There's going to be music, alcohol, and dancing." Avi told them.

"How are they getting alcohol?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ryan's older brother is bringing it when he comes to visit the day before the dance. I don't know where they're hiding it until Saturday night." Avi explained.

"Are you going to that?" Kirstie asked, looking between the two. Scott looked at Avi who only shrugged so Scot responded the same way. He wasn't going unless they all went. He knew Ryan and James along with some of their friends but not well enough to go drinking in the woods with them.

\------------------------

It was Saturday and Scott was working in the library. The students had the option to get jobs on campus and Scott figured that it would be better than doing nothing. He chose the library because it seemed like the least amount of work. Plus he didn't want to work in the kitchen. He was sorting through returned books and putting them back on the shelves. It was his first day working and he was bored out of his mind. The library was so quiet that the floorboards popping and creaking sounded ten times louder than anything else. Every little noise seemed like a mistake and he would glance around to make sure nobody was glaring at him. He honestly wasn't a fan of libraries.

He looked to see where the next stack of books went to before going to that aisle. He stopped when he saw Mitch stamping books at a table. He looked around before walking up to the brunette. Mitch had his earbuds in which Scott didn't know was allowed. He was swaying his hips slightly as he stamped books with the library stamp before stacking them on the table. Scott didn't want to scare Mitch but he didn't know how to get his attention. He watched for a moment as Mitch took a book from the cart, stamped it, and set it on the table. Mitch glanced up and jumped when he saw Scott, almost dropping the book and stamp in his hands.

"Sorry," Scott said quietly. Mitch removed his earbuds. His cheeks were pink now and Scott thought it was cute. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay," Mitch mumbled, going back to work.

"You work here?" Scott asked, his previous task forgotten.

"Um, yeah," Mitch answered.

"I just started here today," Scott said, trying to keep his voice down. Mrs. Wallace didn't seem like the type to tolerate teenagers very well. She was a cranky old woman who left Scott wondering if she had ever smiled in her life.

"R-Really?" Mitch asked, sounding nervous as he glanced around.

"Yeah, so I guess we'll be seeing each other more." Scott pointed out. Mitch finished stamping the books and began moving them back to the cart. Scott moved forward to help him. "I know what you're going to say, Mitch, but please give me a chance. I don't care about whatever happened with this Tyler guy. I never knew him so why should I care? Can we at least be friends at work?" Mitch worked silently as he thought it over. He knew his dad still wouldn't stand for it, even if they were working together. He looked up to see Scott's blue eyes silently pleading with him. He finally sighed before nodding his head.

"Okay, but only at work." Mitch said, putting the last few books on the cart. Scott smiled before returning to his previous job. He finished putting books on shelves while Mitch placed the newly stamped ones in their new places. Even though they weren't talking they both enjoyed each others company. Normally Mitch worked alone with people acting like he didn't exist. The only person who talked to him was Mrs. Wallace but he knew she didn't like him. Then again, she didn't like anyone outside of the romance novels she read while sitting at the front desk.

"Scott, will you give me a hand?" Mitch asked later in the day. Scott was going through and dusting the shelves off. He nodded his head and put the rag and can of spray down on a nearby table before following Mitch. They went through a door where there were boxes with labels on them stacked in the corner along with other things such as extra book carts, papers for the printer, boxes of ink, and other supplies.

"These books were recently donated and they packed the boxes too much. I can't lift them alone but I need to get the top ones down so I can start going through them. Can you help me?" Mitch asked, pointing to the boxes as he spoke.

"Of course," Scott said. They started taking the boxes down and moving them to the floor near the small table in the room.

"Um, do you want to stay and help me sort through them?" Mitch asked, keeping his eyes down.

"Sure," Scott shrugged. He was happy to spend a little time with Mitch. Even if they couldn't be friends outside of the library he could at least get to know the brunette inside the library. And maybe one day Mitch would open up to him more.

"Alright, basically we have to go through these books and make sure there's none that are damaged too severely and nothing inappropriate." Mitch explained as he went to one of the shelves and got a box cutter out. He opened one of the boxes and they got to work. Any damaged books went on the floor and would be boxed up again and the good ones went one the table.

"God, it's so quiet here," Scott mumbled, causing Mitch to giggle.

"It's a library, that's kind of the point." Mitch said, still giggling.

"Are you going to the Halloween dance?" Scott asked as he flipped through a book.

"People don't like me, so no." Scott stopped to look up at Mitch who seemed sadder now than he was a few seconds ago.

"Who cares what they think?" Scott said, getting slightly angry. It wasn't fair that they treated Mitch this way.

"What about that after party thing?" Scott asked, flipping through a different book before setting it on the table.

"What after party?" Mitch asked, motioning for Scott to help him bring another box over. Scott momentarily considered not telling Mitch. He thought about what everyone had been saying about him. If he tells Mitch and he goes and tells his dad and the party gets broke up, then people would be mad. And what if they find out Scott told him? Then people would mad at him. No, he couldn't think that way. He couldn't give in to what everyone says about Mitch if he wanted to be friends with him. "I get it if you don't want to tell me." Mitch sounded sad now.

"No, it's not that, sorry. Um, it's a party Ryan and James are throwing. It's going to be out in the woods but I don't know what time. You can go with me if you want." Scott said, his eyes widening when he realized what he said. Was Mitch going to think he was coming on to him? Mitch stared at him for a moment before shaking his head and looking back down.

"I-I don't think I should." He muttered. Scott bit his lip as he thought about it.

"Please?" He found himself asking. Mitch looked up at him in confusion. "If you don't want to stay we can leave. I'm not even sure if I'm staying."

"Can I think about it?" Scott gave a small smile and nodded.

"Of course," Scott answered. They went back to working in mostly silence with the occassional conversation or jokes. Scott really loved Mitch's laugh so he kept cracking jokes to see what would make the teen laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awe, I love Mitchy! Also, I know there was a bit of a time jump in this but I didn't have much more ideas between the last chapter and the Halloween dance. Also, I am changing the title of this story. I wanted to be able to announce it here before just changing the title so that people wouldn't get confused. The new title will be "Painkillers."   
> What are you guys dressing up as for Halloween? What are doing for Halloween?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is going to be broken into two parts but it will all be int his book. This first half will probably be around 15 chapters, maybe less, and it's going to continue to be about 15 year old Scott and Mitch building their relationship. The second half will probably be 10-15 chapters and it will be about their senior year of high school.   
> Thank you to nerdifan over on Wattpad for helping me decide on costumes.

The students had been allowed to go out on the weekend to get costumes. Scott hadn't been sure what he was going to dress up as but he needed something. He had considered just getting a mask of some kind but decided to actually put effort into it. Somehow he decided that the perfect costume would be Harry Potter. As he was walking around the party store and collecting items he needed for his costume, he was surprised to see a certain brunette wandering around. All of the students had come on buses and he hadn't seen Mitch get on either one.

"Hey," Scott greeted with a smile, making Mitch jump. He looked at him before glancing around a bit.

"What are you doing?" Mitch asked quietly, turning his attention back to the shelves in front of him.

"Same as you, getting a costume. Did you decide to go to the dance?"

"You know what I mean," Mitch replied. "I thought you said you weren't going to talk to me outside of the library?" Scott's smile fell.

"Oh, right, sorry," Scott mumbled. He turned to walk away but was stopped by Mitch's quiet voice.

"I'm sorry." Scott turned back to him a little surprised.

"How about this, outside of school we can be friends?" Scott suggested. "While we're working and anytime we're not at school like now." Mitch gave a small smile and nodded a little.

"What are you dressing as?" Mitch asked, motioning to the stuff Scott was carrying.

"Uh, Harry Potter," Scott felt his cheeks heat up a bit. He couldn't help that he was a nerd. Mitch smiled at him.

"Nice choice," he chuckled.

"What are you dressing as?" Scott asked, noticing that Mitch didn't have anything.

"I'm not really sure. I don't even know yet if I'll need a costumes." Mitch shrugged his shoulder, picking up a headband that had a bloody meat cleaver on it.

"I still think you should come to the dance... We could go together so then maybe people wouldn't mess with you." Scott suggested, realizing that it once again sounded like he was asking Mitch out. Maybe he was? He didn't even know.

"Th-That's the second time you've asked me to go with you." Mitch's cheeks were pink and Scott found himself smiling at that. Mitch really was cute.

"Well, um, I just want you to be able to go and have a good time." Scott explained, smiling a little. It was true. He hated seeing anyone in the situation Mitch was in. It wasn't right for them to treat Mitch terribly.

"Thank you," Mitch said with a shy smile.

"Scott? What are you doing?" Kirstie asked, looking from Scott to Mitch who didn't look up. Scott shrugged his shoulders.

"Just talking to Mitch," he answered.

"Oh, well, Mr. Kipper said for everyone to hurry up and get what they need because we're leaving in ten minutes." She informed him. Scott thanked her and then turned back to Mitch.

"I gotta grab a couple more things. See you later?" Mitch smiled and nodded a little. He looked back at the stuff in front of him and sighed. He still didn't know what to dress as and he had ten minutes to decide. He scanned over the many headbands in front of him before his eyes settled on one and he smiled a little. He grabbed the headband before hurrying to grab what else he would need.

\-----------------------------

It was the night of the dance and Mitch had spent the day sick to his stomach. He had decided to trust Scott and go. He still wasn't sure about the after party because there wouldn't be teachers around. He really wanted to trust Scott and believe him when he says he'll protect him, but he couldn't. He kept his guard up because what if Scott was just playing with him? What if he wanted Mitch to let his guard down just so he could hurt him? Scott really didn't seem like the type of person to do that but he had to protect himself.

Mitch was only in a solid black t-shirt that hung down to about mid-thigh on him and his underwear. He had just gotten out of the shower and was doing his hair. Once he was satisfied with how his hair looked, he left the bathroom and grabbed the stuff for his costume. The shirt he was wearing was a part of the costume already. He pulled on a pair of black leggings and sat down to put on his black socks. He grabbed the make-up he bought and went back to the bathroom. He drew on whiskers and a cat nose.

Mitch stared at himself in the mirror and felt like he was going to throw up. He was starting to think that this was a bad idea. He hadn't even told Scott that he would go with him so what if Scott has a date and then it'll be awkward for him to show up. Or what if Scott decided not to go or he can't find Scott. He looked over his outfit and turned to the side to look at his stomach. He placed his hand on his stomach and sucked in a bit. With a sigh he left the bathroom to grab his black, glittery kitty ears. He then grabbed a pair of black gloves that went up to his elbows and covered his scars. He then slipped on some black flats.

He looked at himself in his full length mirror and bit his lip. He was worried that the outfit was too feminine, especially the shoes. His dad would definitely be mad if he looked too feminine. He felt cute though which didn't happen often. He realized that he didn't have any pockets. He looked at his phone on the desk and sighed. He didn't really want to leave it here but he didn't want to carry it all night either. But what if something happens and he needs it? He couldn't lose or break another phone though because his parents warned him about it after he was shoved into the fountain. He finally decided to just leave it. He wouldn't be gone very long.

\--------------------------

Scott, Avi, Kirstie, and Kevin all got ready in Scott's room. Avi was dressed as a lumberjack because it took the least amount of work. Kevin was a wolf, meaning he was wearing a wolf mask that he was already complaining about. And Kirstie was a witch. She wore a black dress, and a dark green cape and witch hat. Scott was hoping that Mitch would show up but he hadn't told anyone that he asked him. He knew Kirstie, Kevin, and Avi still weren't excited about him spending time with Mitch but at least they had stopped telling him to stay away from Mitch. Once they were ready they decided to head to where the dance was being held.

Scott's eyes instantly started looking around for Mitch but he didn't see him. He felt a little disappointed. Kirstie grabbed his arm and dragged him to the refreshments table to get some punch. She got distracted by a girl standing nearby and Scott looked around the dance, hoping to see Mitch come in.

"Come on, let's dance!" Kirstie giggled, placing her and Scott's cups on a nearby table. She grabbed Scott's hand and dragged him to the dance floor where several other students were dancing. Scott couldn't focus on dancing with Kirstie because he was hoping to see Mitch. After two songs, Kirstie and him went to get snacks and catch up with some other people. Scott had pretty much given up on finding Mitch. He knew it was a stretch to ask the brunette so he didn't feel surprised that he didn't come.

"What's wrong?" Kirstie whined, tugging on Scott's arm. He didn't realize that he had been ignoring her and their friends.

"Nothing, sorry, what are we talking about?" Scott asked with a smile. Kirstie and the others stared at him for a second before Kevin answered. Scott tried to pay attention to the conversation but it wasn't something he was entirely interested in. His eyes scanned over the room again. He basically gave up hope that Mitch would show up. As he slowly scanned the room his eyes landed on a small brunette dressed in all black. Mitch was standing by the door with his arms crossed looking scared. Scott instantly started walking towards the other teen.

"Where are you going?" Avi asked, confused.

"I'll be right back," Scott replied. He smiled when he got closer to Mitch. The smaller teen's eyes met Scott's and he gave a small smile.

"Hey, you came!" Scott exclaimed, wanting to hug Mitch but didn't want to freak him out.

"Yeah, I did," Mitch's voice was shaky, his eyes darting around. He was hugging himself tightly, defensively.

"You look good," Scott complimented, looking Mitch up and down. His costume was simple but it looked good on him. Mitch gave a shy smile and looked down.

"Thank you, so do you," Mitch moved his elbow forward to motion towards Scott without letting go of himself.

"Come on, let's get some punch and dance!" Scott said excitely. He gently gripped Mitch's arm to pull him forward. Once they fell in step with each other Scott put his arm lightly around Mitch's waist. When they reached the refreshment table, Scott poured a cup of punch for Mitch who thanked him quietly. They didn't dance because Mitch was still anxious. He was fine hanging out by the food since it was pretty uncrowded.

"Are you originally from here?" Scott asked, meaning the town. Mitch shook his head no.

"I was born in Texas but my dad got this job when I was ten so we moved here and he transferred me to this school." Mitch explained.

"You're from Texas? So am I! I lived there until I transferred here." Scott exclaimed, a huge smile on his face. Mitch started to say something but then two guys came to the table and Mitch instantly closed down, backing farther toward the wall. Scott could see the walls going back up after he spent this long getting them down a tiny bit. He moved forward to stand in between the two guys and Mitch, blocking the shorter boy from them. He turned his back to the guys to face Mitch with a smile. Mitch seemed slightly confused. He kept glancing at the two guys who kept looking at him. He looked up at Scott with a small smile.

"Do you want to dance?" Scott asked, motioning towards the dance floor. Mitch looked over to the crowded dance floor and bit his lip.

"If you want to dance you go find someone. I'm fine here," Mitch forced a smile. He didn't want to ruin Scott's dance experience.

"I asked you to the dance, Mitch. I'm not gonna ditch you for someone else. How about we go sit over there with Kevin and Avi? It's not crowded," Scott pointed out. Mitch was unsure because he knew Scott's friends didn't like him. He forced himself to nod his head and smile. Scott smiled brightly and led Mitch over to the table. Kevin and Avi trailed off from the conversation when they noticed Mitch.

"Hey," Kevin greeted, looking away from Mitch and to Scott. Mitch chewed on his thumb nail and stared down. He felt like he was intruding and ruining everyone's time.

"Sit down," Scott motioned to the chair in front of Mitch. The small teen sat down, leaving a chair in between him and Kevin which was where Scott sat down. Mitch was happy there was a chair in between him and Avi too. He sank down in his chair and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Scott kept trying to include him in the conversation but he didn't say much. It was obvious that Avi and Kevin didn't want him here. Nobody wanted him here except for Scott. Mitch reached over and gently tapped Scott's arm to get his attention.

"I'm gonna go to the restroom," Mitch told him, glancing over at Kevin and Avi who were now looking at him. Mitch slipped out of his chair and made his way to the doors. It was crowded and he needed a break. He hated feeling like he wasn't wanted but it was the truth. Once he got to the restroom he locked himself in a stall and leaned against the door. He didn't even have to go he just needed a moment alone. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm down. He was happy that the bathroom didn't smell like a public restroom. His parent took pride in every aspect of this school and made sure it remained clean.

"I can't believe he actually showed up. And what's with that Hoying kid?" Mitch heard a guy say as some people came in. He frozen even though he knew he was safe in the locked stall.

"I don't know, I heard that Scott is gay. It's disgusting," another said.

"Seriously? That would make sense then. I mean, why else would he hang out with Mitch? If he's gay then they'd be the only two here. They're drawn to their own kind, right?" A third voice said.

"Hopefully Hoying is smart enough to keep his mouth shut. We don't need another gay in our school." Mitch listened as the guys washed their hands and left. He thought over what they had said. Was Scott gay? He asked him to the dance but wasn't that just as a friend? If he is, was that really the only reason he was being nice? Mitch felt his stomach drop a little. He thought he could possibly have a real friend in Scott but he might just be using him since he was the only gay guy here. And what happens if Scott is just trying to figure out what he is and decides he's not gay? Will he just forget about Mitch because he no longer needs him?

Mitch sighed and left the stall. He was stupid to believe Scott could actually want to be friends with him. He was just using him to figure himself out. Once he realized what he needed to he would leave. Mitch didn't return to the dance, he went to the stairs and started the long climb up to his floor. He never took the elevator because he needed the exercise. When he reached his room, he went to the bathroom and washed the Halloween make-up off and changed into an oversized yellow t-shirt and climbed on to the bed.

He felt horrible but refused to cry. He knew he might be taking their words too seriously but he couldn't help it. Nobody wanted to be friends with him so why would Scott be different? He should have known there was a catch to the friendship. He shouldn't have been so stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at dialogue! My dialogue is always stupid so I tend to not write much unless I have to.  
> Also, I have an instagram where I post about different things but mostly Scomiche. I also post about story progress, so if you want to keep up with this, go follow me! It's tru_oddball.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be completely honest with you all, I have only seen the first, second and fourth Harry Potter movies, and I've never read the books. Before you start typing or leaving, hear me out! I was homeschooled and in a VERY religious homeschool group who thought that Harry Potter was bad so my mom wouldn't let us read/watch it because she didn't want to deal with the other parents. She doesn't have anything against it and we're actually trying to get all the movies and books now.

Scott kept looking over at the door expecting to see Mitch come back but he never did. He started to wonder if something happened. He bit his lip and glanced at Avi, Kevin, and Kirstie who had joined them a few minutes ago.

"Where do you think he is?" Scott asked, looking at Kevin since Kirstie and Avi were talking. Kevin just shrugged.

"Maybe you should go check on him." Kevin suggested, a look of concern on his face. He might not interact with Mitch but he didn't like seeing him get hurt either. Scott knew that Kevin didn't hate Mitch but he hadn't quite figured out how Avi and Kirstie really feel about Mitch.

"I'm gonna go find him," Scott told Kevin who nodded. Scott left the dance and walked down the quiet hallway. When he got to the restroom at the end of the hall, he went in.

"Mitch?" He called, getting a weird look from the guy at one of the urinals. He saw that all of the stall doors were open and nobody else was in here. He turned and left the restroom, feeling more concerned. He shouldn't have let Mitch go by himself. He promised he would protect him tonight and he failed. He went to the elevator and repeatedly pressed the call button as if that would make it go faster. He hoped that Mitch was in his room if not then he didn't know where to search. Once the doors opened he got in and pressed Mitch's floor number then the close doors button. The ride to Mitch's floor felt longer than usual. As soon as the doors opened he practically ran down to Mitch's room. He knocked several times but got no answer.

"Mitch?" He called, knocking again. When he still didn't get a response he tried the handle to find the door unlocked. He pushed it open and sighed in relief when he saw the other teen laying in bed. Mitch's eyes were closed and he was breathing lightly through his mouth. Scott walked in and shut the door. He looked over Mitch's small body. He was only wearing an oversized shirt and was laying on top of his covers. Scott leaned down and gently shook Mitch's shoulder.

"Mitch," he said quietly, shaking him again. The brunette blinked his eyes open and jumped when he saw Scott standing over him. Scott chuckled a little. "I didn't mean to scare you." Scott sat down on the edge of the bed in front of Mitch. The brunette realized that he was only wearing a t-shirt and pulled the hem of it down farther to try to cover himself more, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

"Why did you leave the dance?" Scott asked as Mitch tried to sit up without his shirt moving up too far. He felt really exposed right now.

"I-I don't know," Mitch mumbled, looking down. He couldn't tell Scott the truth. He didn't want to make Scott mad. Mitch sat with his legs bent underneath him to cover up his exposed skin.

"Did something happen?" Scott asked, not buying what Mitch said. The other teen shook his head, not looking up at Scott. "You don't have to tell, Mitch. I am sorry though." Mitch glanced up before looking back at his hands in his lap.

"For what?" He questioned.

"I asked you to go when you didn't want to. I should have protected you and I didn't. I shouldn't have let you leave by yourself." Mitch blushed again, not looking up.

"It wasn't your fault, Scott." Mitch told him.

"Can I stay here with you?" Mitch blushed again but nodded his head. Scott kicked off his shoes and took off the robe he was wearing and climbed on the bed beside Mitch who seemed nervous.

"D-Do you want to watch a movie?" Mitch asked, motioning towards the TV he had.

"Sure," Scott told him. Mitch crawled off of the bed. Scott found himself staring at Mitch. He looked adorable in his t-shirt. He bit his lip and looked away. Mitch looked through the movies he had.

"What do you want to watch?" Mitch asked, glancing back at Scott who shrugged. Mitch turned back to the movies and grabbed The Lion King. Mitch crawled back up on the bed with Scott, leaving some room between them. Mitch's mind kept reminding him that Scott didn't actually care. He knew that was probably true but right now he wanted to pretend that it wasn't true.

Mitch jumped slightly when Scott belted out the opening song to The Lion King. Mitch burst into laughter as Scott sang. The blonde smiled at Mitch.

"Come on, sing, Mitchy!" Scott exclaimed, gently nudging Mitch with his elbow. The brunette smiled and joined in singing. Scott found himself amazed by Mitch's voice.

"You have that voice and you're not doing anything with it? Do you sing anywhere?" Scott asked, completely amazed. Mitch blushed and looked down with a shy smile.

"I used to do theatre but I don't anymore."

"Why not?"

"People didn't like me being there." Mitch told him, staring down at his hands.

"You really need to stop letting them get to you so much." Scott told him, only getting a shrug in response. Scott sighed but decided to drop it. He didn't want to ruin the fun mood even though he already had. They went back to watching the movie. Mitch moved to stick his legs under the covers to hide himself a bit more. As they watched, Mitch felt himself getting tired again.

After the movie was over, Scott looked over to find Mitch asleep. He found himself staring at the brunette. He looked peaceful. Scott wondered how often Mitch actually felt at peace. Scott decided to let him sleep and gently got off of the bed and put in a different movie, turning the volume down to not disturb Mitch.

\-------------------------

Scott got a text asking if he was coming to the party and he looked over at Mitch. The brunette was still asleep and Scott really didn't want to wake him up but he also didn't want to just leave. He finally decided to at least tell him he was leaving. He gently shook Mitch's shoulder and he opened his eyes.

"Is the movie over?" Mitch mumbles, looking over at the TV.

"It's been over for a while," Scott chuckles. "The party is starting and I'm gonna head on out. Are you going?" Mitch bit his lip and thought it over. He finally nodded his head yes, making Scott smile.

"Really? Go ahead and get dressed. I'm gonna go to my room and changed. I'll be right back and we'll go together." Scott told him, getting up to grab his stuff. Scott left and Mitch got out of the bed to change. He looked through his closet before grabbing a pair of black jeans and an orange sweater. He put on a pair black boots and checked his reflection. He fixed his hair before hearing a knock on his door. Mitch cracked open the door and saw Scott smiling at him.

"Are you ready?" Scott asked quietly. Mitch nodded and stuck his phone in his pocket before leaving the room. He followed closely to Scott as they snuck down the stairs and out the front door. Mitch stayed close to Scott while they made their way to the woods to the right of the school. Mitch felt his anxiety getting worse and he momentarily thought about telling Scott he changed his mind. It was a long walk which made sense. They wouldn't want to risk being too close and being heard.

"Hey! You made it!" Kevin called when he saw Scott. The blonde smiled and put his hand on Mitch's back to lead him towards the group gathered near truck. The bed of the truck was being used as a table to serve drinks off of. Scott took the beer bottle Kevin held out to him. Kevin grabbed another one and handed it to Mitch who took it warily. Kevin had never hurt him or even said anything rude to him but he couldn't let his guard down.

Mitch blocked out Kevin and Scott's conversation. It wasn't anything interesting to him anyway. He found himself staring at a guy who definitely didn't go to their school. He was obviously older than them and had light brown hair that hung down to his shoulders and was slightly curly and frizzy. Mitch looked him up and down. He looked away when the guy's eyes met his. He didn't know him and he didn't want to freak him out. He glanced up and his heart was pounding when he saw the guy coming towards him. He looked over at Scott and saw that more people had joined their conversation. He drank a bit of his beer and tried not to look up at the guy.

"Hey," he heard a deep voice say. He looked up and blushed when he saw the long haired guy. "You're Mitch right?"

"Y-Yeah," the brunette answered.

"I'm Josh, Ryan's older brother." Josh motioned towards Ryan was dancing with a girl. "I hear a lot about you." Mitch blushed even though he knew it wasn't good things.

"I hear you're a bit of a whore," Josh chuckled. Mitch felt cornered. He knew Josh hadn't heard good things about him but he didn't expect him to be so forward about it. Mitch backed towards Scott a bit more. He was closer than he thought and bumped into the blonde. Scott turned his attention to Mitch and noticed Josh.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked Mitch who shook his head no. He was scared. He didn't know Josh and for him to say what he did scared the brunette. He didn't know what Josh would do to him.

"Do you need something?" Scott asked Josh who Mitch kept glancing at. The older male shook his head no with a smirk.

"Not at all," Josh replied. He looked Mitch up and down again before biting his lip and walking away. Mitch felt unsafe now and stuck closer to Scott. He stood so close to Scott that they were touching.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked and Mitch nodded. He noticed that everyone Scott had been talking to was now staring at them. Mitch knew these people weren't fond of him so he couldn't imagine what they were thinking right now. Mitch downed the rest of his beer and made a grossed out face. He had tried alcoholic drinks before but he hadn't really drank. Alcohol was supposed to make you relax and forget, right? Mitch tapped Scott's arm to get his attention.

"Will you get me another drink?"

"Of course," Scott answered.

"Something besides beer if they have it." Scott went to the truck where several coolers were at and looked through to find something different. He found a bottle of vodka and grabbed two before returning to Mitch. He handed one to the brunette and kept one for himself. After taking a drink he found that it was strawberry flavored. Mitch downed a bit of the drink and leaned closer to Scott.

\---------------------

Scott smirked as Mitch danced against him. Mitch had drank way more than he probably should have but he was relaxed. Scott hadn't drank much because he wanted to be sober enough to watch after Mitch. Scott knew that Mitch was going to feel horrible tomorrow but for right now he was enjoying himself without worrying about everyone else.

Once the song was over, Scott led Mitch to the side to take a break. They had been dancing a while. Scott got into a conversation with someone else who was obviously as drunk as Mitch. The brunette left Scott's side to grab another drink which he didn't need. After Mitch got his drink he turned to start heading back to Scott but was stopped by Josh. The older guy put his hands on Mitch's hips and pulled his body to press against his own.

"Stop," Mitch slurred out, trying to push the guy away. Josh just chuckled and held on tighter to Mitch's hips.

"Come on, dance with me." Josh chuckled, moving around to rub their bodies together. Mitch tried to shove him away but couldn't. He then did the only thing he could do. He slapped Josh as hard as he could. The older male's facial expression instantly turned angry. He held Mitch's arm tightly enough to leave a bruise.

"You little, bitch!" Josh yelled, bringing his fist up and punching Mitch in the face. His fist made contact with Mitch's left eye.

"Hey!" Scott yelled, running over. He grabbed Josh's arm and yanked him away from Mitch. "Don't you fucking touch him!"

"Oh, I forgot that he was your boy-toy." Josh replied with a chuckle.

"Leave him alone," Scott told him.

"And what if I don't?" Josh asked, reaching out and grabbing at Mitch. Scott pushed Mitch back more, standing in front of him.

"Leave. Him. Alone." Scott growled out, keeping a hand on Mitch behind him. They stood and stared at each other for a moment before Josh finally chuckled.

"He's not worth it anyway," Josh said. Scott didn't move until Josh walked away. Mitch instantly broke down and began crying. Scott knew it was probably all the alcohol the other had ingested.

"Come on, Mitch, I think it's time we head in." Scott told him. He kept an arm around Mitch's waist as they left. People were staring at them as they left. Mitch cried all the way back to the dorm building. Mitch was too unstable to manage stairs so they used the elevator.

"I'm sorry, Scott," Mitch cried once they got on the elevator.

"It's not your fault, Mitch." Scott told him but it didn't help the crying. Once they got to Mitch's floor they went to his room. Scott led Mitch to the bed and had him sit down. "Get some sleep, Mitch." Scott told him, pointing at the bed as if the other didn't know where he was.

"No, stay with me?" Mitch asked, more tears falling down. Scott sighed and gave in quickly. He couldn't leave Mitch this way. He was a crying mess and he was drunk.

"Get changed and laid down," Scott told him. Mitch got up and stumbled over to his closet and grabbed some clothes. Mitch was moving slowly and clumsily. Scott watched him closely in case he fell down. Mitch began undressing, causing Scott to blush a little and look away. Once Mitch was in a pair of pj pants and a t-shirt, he stumbled back into bed.

"Can I go to my room and changed?" Scott asked, motioning towards the door.

"No, please don't leave me." Mitch whimpered, holding out his hand to Scott. The blonde sighed and looked over at Mitch's clothes.

"Can I borrow one of your shirts?" Mitch nodded, waving his hand in the general direction of his closet. Scott got one of Mitch's oversized shirts and change into it. He was still wearing his boxers too. He walked over and put in a movie before shutting off the light and climbing into bed with Mitch. As soon as Scott was in the bed, Mitch moved over and cuddled up to him. Scott wasn't sure what to do at first but finally he rested his left hand on Mitch's back.

"Why am I everyone's punching bag?" Mitch asked, snuggling closer to Scott.

"I'm sorry, Mitch," Scott said. He hadn't tended to Mitch's eye because there wasn't much he could do at this hour. If he took Mitch to the nurse then they would have to come with a reason to why Mitch is drunk. And he didn't have a way to get him any ice without being questioned. Scott held Mitch tighter when he felt the warm tears soaking into his shirt.

"I just want one person to want me. My fucking parents don't even want me." Mitch explained, letting out a sob. Scott wasn't sure what to tell Mitch.

"I want you as a friend," Scott told him in hopes of comforting him.

"No you don't," Mitch cried. "You're just using me." Scott was confused.

"What do you mean?" Mitch cried for a moment before answering.

"You don't want to be friends with me. Once you get what you want, you'll leave." Mitch sobbed, gripping on to Scott. The blonde wasn't sure what to do so he began rubbing Mitch's back. He wanted to ask more questions but knew he wasn't going to get straight answers. Mitch mumbled different things as he cried but nothing that made much since to Scott. The blonde did his best to calm Mitch but nothing was working.

After what felt like hours of Mitch sobbing, he finally cried himself to sleep. Scott was relieved when Mitch was asleep. Not because he was tired of listening to him cry but because there was no other way to calm him down. He continued to rub Mitch's back as he slept. He thought about some of the things Mitch had said. It didn't make sense but he wanted to know what it all meant. Mitch had mumbled about being hit, about his dad, about being unloved, more about Scott using him, stuff about Scott being gay.

He looked down at the small teen and held him tighter. He reached up and pushed some hair out of Mitch's face. His cheeks were still wet and glistened in the light from the TV. Scott decided to ask Mitch about all of that stuff tomorrow but for now, he wanted to comfort him while he slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not entirely happy with how this chapter turned out. I hope you guys at least liked it. The next chapter is going to have a little bit of heart-to-heart between Scott and Mitch so get ready for that. I'm happy I got this done though because I really wanted this week to be a double update but was worried I couldn't.   
> Thank you so much for all the love for this story!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know if I was going to be able to upload this today because I had it almost finished but then decided to delete it and start over because I didn't like the old version. I like this one so much more. I'm actually very proud of this chapter.   
> I have to say a huge thank you to everyone reading! I'm so happy that people like this! (^_^)

Mitch woke up the next morning with a horrible headache. He quickly realized there was something pressing against his back and a weight on his waist. When he looked down his eyes widened when he saw an arm over him. He turned carefully to look behind him but couldn't really see who was it was because they had their face buried in his back. He tried to gently wiggle out from under the arm without waking the other. When he saw it was Scott he stayed frozen where he was. He moved to sit up, Scott's arm over his lap.

He looked over to his clock to check the time. It was eleven in the morning and he was so happy they didn't have school today. His head was hurting and all he wanted to go back to sleep but didn't think he would be able to. He wiggled back under the blanket, trying not to disturb Scott. He laid on his back with Scott's arm still over him. He turned his head to stare at Scott. The blonde's hair was messy and his mouth was hanging open slightly with soft breathes coming out.

Scott shifted around a bit until he was basically laying on Mitch. His head was now on Mitch's stomach with his right arm over the younger's thighes and his left arm tucked under himself. Mitch laid completely still and stared down at the blonde head on his stomach. He found a small smile on his lips. He reached up and gently ran a few fingers through the messy hair. He shut his eyes again to try to sleep off the hang over. He felt safe with Scott laying on him. It felt like he was being protected. Mitch relaxed to the feeling of Scott and the sound of his breathing.

\----------------

Scott opened his eyes and was confused when he realized he was using another person as a pillow. He sat up the rest of the way and looked to see Mitch. He yawned and ran a hand through his hair before sitting all the way up. He grabbed his phone off of the night stand and saw that he had a few texts and that it was noon. He was happy he hadn't drank too much at the party so he didn't have a hang over. He couldn't imagine what Mitch was going to feel like when he woke up.

Scott turned to stare down at the brunette. He thought about the things Mitch had said last night. He didn't know how to bring it up because he was sure Mitch wouldn't want to discuss it all. He didn't want to put Mitch on the spot while hung over either. Maybe he should wait to ask his questions.

Scott played around on his phone while waiting for Mitch to wake up. He knew Mitch would need all the sleep he could get. He yawned while considering going back to sleep. He didn't want to completely ruin his sleep schedule though. He wanted to lay down and cuddle Mitch some more but he didn't know what Mitch would think waking up with him so close. He leaned back against the headboard and watched Mitch sleep. He knew it probably seemed creepy to sit and stare but he didn't know if he would ever get a chance like this again.

After about ten minutes of sitting in the silence with Mitch, the brunette started to wake up. He waited to see what the younger boy's reaction would be to him sitting there. His beautiful brown eyes finally landed on Scott and he gave a small smile. Scott returned the smile, feeling relieved that Mitch didn't freak out.

"Morning, sleepy head," Scott said, making Mitch smile bigger. "How are you feeling?" Scott asked. Mitch stretched out and made a quiet noise that had Scott smiling again.

"Not as bad as when I woke up earlier." Mitch said after thinking about it a moment. Scott felt a blush forming. Had he been laying on Mitch when he woke up earlier?

"Are you hungry?" Scott asked.

"No, I'm good," Mitch replied.

"I'm starving so I'm gonna head down before lunch is over." Scott said, looking at the clock to see there was still twenty minutes before one. He stood up to grab his clothes and change. He went to the bathroom to change and use the bathroom before heading down for lunch. He would brush his teeth when he got back to his room. Once he was done and had tamed his hair a bit, he exited the bathroom. He saw Mitch sitting up with his phone in his hands. He walked over to grab his shoes and that was when he heard Mitch's stomach growl. "Are you sure you don't want to come down for lunch?" Scott asked causing Mitch to shake his head no.

"I'm okay," Mitch assured. "I don't want to deal with everyone today." He confessed quietly. Scott gave him a sympathetic look.

"Do you want me to bring you something?" Once again Mitch shook his head, giving Scott a small smile. Scott bit his lip and thought it over before nodding. "Okay, I'll see you later?"

"Sure," Mitch said with a sad smile. He wasn't ready for Scott to leave but knew he had to. Scott left and Mitch let out a sigh. He felt really lonely now. He decided to take a shower since he smelled like alcohol.

\-----------------

When Mitch got out of the shower and went back into his room he jumped when he saw someone sitting in his desk chair. He glanced towards the door as his heart pounded. His dad didn't look happy at all. Mitch momentarily wondered if he would make it out the door before his dad got to him. He knew he couldn't run away from his dad though. He would have to face him eventually and knew it was better to get it over with now. He walked over and stood in front of his dad, head down.

"Do you want to tell me why Scott Hoying was leaving your room earlier?" His dad asked, his arms crossed as he stared up at his son. Mitch felt small under his father's eyes. Mitch bit his lip as he tried to think of what to say. He couldn't tell his dad anything about last night.

"He just stopped by and I told him I couldn't be around him." Mitch lied, hoping his dad would buy it. His heart felt like he was going to jump out of his chest when his dad stood up.

"That's interesting because I was told that Scott has been missing since last night. His friends hadn't seen him since the dance. He wasn't in his room last night or this morning and hasn't been seen until he left your room. From what it looks like, he stayed here last night. Are you lying to me, Mitchell?" Mitch only shook his head no, backing away from his dad. He knew he had been caught. He was shocked when he was slapped. "I asked you a question."

"N-No, sir," Mitch stuttered out. He was slapped again. He reached up to rub at the red, stinging flesh.

"I told you to stay away from him and you disobeyed me. You're grounded and I expect to see you in my office in no less than ten minutes. You're in trouble," his dad told him, his tone threatening and scary. Mitch felt tears in his eyes. He stared at the floor as his dad left his room. He knew what was going to happen once he got to his dad's office and there was nothing that could be done to stop it.

\---------------------

Scott grabbed an extra sandwhich, a bag of chips, a fruit cup, and a bottle of orange juice before heading back up to Mitch's room. He had tried to avoid the questions from his friends. They had been looking for him since last night and wanted to know where he was. He tried telling them he was just in his room but Kevin had checked and his roommate revealed that Scott had never come back last night. He changed the subject several times to avoid answering their questions. As he walked towards the elevator, Avi caught up to him.

"Well, you're the talk of the school this morning." He told him.

"Why?" Scott asked, slowing down his pace.

"People are talking about what happened last night with Mitch and where you were. So, did anything happen between you two?" Scott furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean?" Scott was pretty sure he knew what Avi was implying.

"Well, Mitch isn't exactly innocent. If you stayed the night with him, something was bound to have happened." Avi explained and Scott felt a little mad.

"Mitch was drunk last night, nothing happened." He defended.

"Exactly, he was drunk. He's probably worse while drunk. I mean, I heard he was all over you at the party."

"Nothing happened between us." Scott said, trying not to snap at Avi.

"So you're telling me that Mitch Grassi was drunk but wasn't all over you last night? I mean, from what I hear he's pretty easy." Scott stopped walking and faced Avi.

"Nothing happened and the fact that everyone thinks we did it says more about how they view me rather than Mitch. I wasn't really drunk last night but Mitch was. If we did it then that says I'm the type of guy to take advantage of a drunk person. Besides, I'm not even gay." Scott said defensively.

"Well, the way you were dancing with Mitch last night says otherwise." Avi said, crossing his arms. Scott didn't say anything.

"I'm not gay," Scott repeated, his heart pounding. He had tried so hard to hide it.

"It's not a big deal, Scott. If you're gay it's fine. Kevin, Kirstie, and I don't care. But if you are, pick someone better than Mitch. He's just trouble." With that Avi walked away. Scott wanted to argue. He wanted to make Avi believe he wasn't gay. He practically ran to the elevator and pushed the button multiple times to call the elevator. People were talking about him and Mitch. People think he's gay. He didn't want people to know. He wasn't even sure himself if he was. He couldn't handle this right now.

When he got to Mitch's floor he went to his room and knocked on the door. He didn't get a reply and wondered if Mitch fell back asleep. The brunette probably didn't feel too great. He knocked again and still nothing. He opened the door to find the room empty. He was confused because Mitch didn't seem to want to leave his room. He figured Mitch had just left for a minute and would be back soon so he walked inside and set the food down on Mitch's desk before sitting on his bed to scroll through his phone while he waited.

Scott had sat there for about fifteen minutes before the door opened. He looked up with a smile which fell the second he saw Mitch. The teen was sobbing, his face was red and wet. It looked like he had been sweating since his hair was stuck to his forehead. Mitch's eyes widened when he saw Scott. He walked into the room and shut the door. Scott noticed that Mitch was having a hard time walking.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, standing to go to Mitch who put his hands up to stop Scott.

"Y-You c-can't be he-re." Mitch said, trying not to cry. He reached up and wiped his eyes but more tears came quickly.

"Mitch, what happened?" Scott asked, trying to hug Mitch but was pushed away.

"Just leave! I can't be around you anymore! Just leave me alone!" Mitch yelled before dissolving into sobs. Scott stood in shock. "Leave!" Mitch yelled again, shoving Scott a little. Scott broke out of his shock and quickly left the room. He was confused by Mitch's outburst. Had he done something wrong?

Once Scott was gone, Mitch sobbed loudly. He wanted Scott to come back. He wanted to lay in bed with the blonde but couldn't. His dad had just given him a horrible beating with his belt and threatened that it would be worse next time. He wouldn't listen to Mitch when he told him that nothing happened between him and Scott last night. He had been beat badly and every time he moved his jeans rubbed against the wounds. He carefully stripped his clothes and put on one of his big shirts before gently laying down. He couldn't put pressure on his wounds.

Mitch laid in bed and cried. No matter how much he wanted to be friends with Scott he couldn't handle another beating. His friendship with the blonde had to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I tried to edit but that was at 2AM and I was half asleep. I hope to go back through and edit this at some point because I know there are mistakes and I apologize.   
> Happy Halloween, darlings! I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! I'm going to a cookout and hayride on Saturday as long as they still have it. It's supposed to be really cold and there's a chance for rain. It's actually supposed to snow north of us Saturday. For actual Halloween night, I'm just staying home to watch movies and eat candy because I doubt we'll have trick-or-treaters.   
> Last thing, I wrote a Halloween Scomiche oneshot. It's called Dying Game (lame title). Check it out if you want!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we just talk about the Guy.EXE video?? I'm still not over it! And the dildo in the jar! XD I mean, Mitch was trying to make the perfect man so I guess that part is pretty important. ; )
> 
> Thank you for all the love! I appreciate every single comment I get but I don't always know how to reply so I'm not ignoring you.

Mitch and Scott hadn't talked since that day in Mitch's room. Scott knew something else had caused it and he could see how depressed Mitch was. It had only been three days since Mitch yelled at him. Scott had noticed how Mitch seemed to have a hard time sitting. He would wince every time he sat down and squirm around. He also only wore loose clothing. He hardly ever looked up and Scott hadn't even heard him speak since that day. He didn't know if Mitch was actually mad at him. He didn't try talking to him because Mitch said to leave him alone. He wanted to confront Mitch about his outburst but knew he needed some time alone.

He also knew that spending some time apart would help the rumors die down. He hated thinking that way but knew it was needed. He didn't want people to continue thinking he was gay or there was something going on between him and Mitch. Not being around each other would kill those rumors. Him and Avi had worked things out. He apologized for snapping at the other and Avi explained that he didn't mean to upset Scott. He also let him know that he really didn't care what Scott identified as and if he says he's not gay then he believes him.

Mitch hadn't done much other than go to class and sleep. He went to meals every now and then but didn't have much of an apetite. It was really just to keep from starving to death although he wasn't sure why he really cared anymore. His dad's newest threat really stuck with him and he did what he had to in order to stay away from Scott. The only thing he was worried about was working at the library. He most likely would be working with Scott again. He didn't want to work somewhere else because he felt safe in the library. Even when people who didn't like him came in they left him alone. Everyone was afraid of Mrs. Wallace so they behaved in the library.

Mitch kept his head down as he worked on his math problems. There wasn't much chance of anything happening in class. The school was pretty strict when it came to disruptions in class. Mitch wished they cared as much about the students as they did their lessons. Mitch felt a piece of paper hit his shoulder and bounce on to the floor. He tried to ignore it but a second paper ball hit him in the head. He turned to see who it was but didn't see anyone looking up. He sighed and went back to working on his math just to be hit with another ball of paper. He chose to grit his teeth and ignore whoever it was. He wasn't going to risk getting in trouble in class for anything. If the teacher happened to look up he wanted her to see that the other person was the only one to blame.

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At the end of the school day, Mitch was beyond happy to go to his room. His day had been horrible. He was picked on left and right and it seemed like the teachers weren't doing anything on purpose. Maybe they hate him as much as the students do. Mitch had been distracted too much in science class and got a warning which his dad would surely hear about. Mitch got to his room and threw his book bag on to the floor before going to change out of his uniform. He changed into one of his oversized shirts before crawling in bed.

He hadn't done much since his punishment mostly because he couldn't do much. He looked forward to the end of the day when he could take his pants off and put on a large shirt. He groaned when there was a knock on the door. Before he could get up to put on sweat pants and answer it, the door opened. Mitch pulled the hem of his shirt down to cover himself more. His dad stood in front of him with an angry expression. Then again, his dad always looked angry to him.

"Why are you dressed like that? Put some pants on," his dad ordered. Mitch rushed over and grabbed a pair of sweat pants. His cheeks were bright red as he pulled them on. He stood still once his lower half was covered. His dad stared at him with his arms crossed. Mitch hated when his dad just stared but knew it was the man's way of intimidating.

"Why were you given a warning in science class today?" Mitch knew that was most likely what his dad was doing here.

"I was distracted," Mitch replied honestly.

"Why were you distracted?" Mitch only shrugged, keeping his head down. "Answe me," his dad demanded.

"Because the other students were messing with me."

"You can't keep blaming this stuff on the other students. You better start paying attention. You know what happens if you get a detention." His dad warned.

"Yes, Sir," Mitch muttered. His dad stared him down for a few more seconds before leaving the room. Mitch felt tears in his eyes and if he wasn't so tired and sore he probably would have turned to his only relief. Instead of going for his razor, he took his sweat pants off and crawled under the covers again. The tears silently fell from his eyes as he stared at the wall.

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"I just feel like I need to talk to him." Scott admitted to Kevin as they worked on their homework together. They were in Scott's room, both laying on his bed as they worked. They were doing more talking than homework though.

"If he literally pushed you away and told you to leave him alone then I doubt he's open to talking. Haven't you two had like a back and forth whatever since you met?" Kevin asked before yawning.

"Well, yeah, but I think there's something to it. When we're on good terms it seems like he really wants to be friends." Scott replied, erasing the answer he wrote down because he was re-thinking it.

"And when you're not on good terms?" Kevin questioned.

"I think something causes it. Like this time, I went to his room and he wasn't there so I waited for him and when he got there he was crying. He just had this outburst towards me and told me to leave. I think something happened but I don't know what. I know people don't like him and I'm worried he's getting bullied for being near me. Maybe that was what caused the outburst?" Scott explained.

"Maybe it's best that you listen to him and stay away?" Scott sighed and nodded his head.

"Maybe," he agreed before going back to his homework. They worked in mostly silence the rest of the afternoon until it was time for dinner. They put their stuff aside and went down to eat. When they walked in, Scott saw Mitch sitting alone like always. There was no food in front of him and he kept lifting his sleeve covered hand up to wipe at his eyes. Some guys walked past and made comments to him that Scott couldn't hear. Whatever they said made Mitch stand up and quickly head for the door. He kept his head down as he sped past Scott and Kevin. He was fully crying as he left.

Scott stood there for a moment, feeling conflicted. Part of him was saying to go after Mitch and make sure he's okay but the other part side to leave him alone. It was what Mitch wanted after all, right? Scott sighed before turning and heading to get food. After getting food he went to sit with Kirstie, Kevin, Avi, and a couple of other students he was slowly becoming friends with. Their names were Tyler and Connor. Scott had met them first and invited them to hang out with him and his friends. They had only been friends for a few days now.

"Do you know what was said to Mitch?" Scott asked when he sat down next to Connor.

"Not really, something about him crying." Connor answered, giving Scott a sad expression. Scott was learning that not everyone hated Mitch. Most felt bad for him but supposedly the rest of the school hated Mitch so they didn't interact with him in fear of also being bullied. Scott thought it was cowardly to sit back and let Mitch believe everyone hated him just because of some bullies, but he understood why they did it. He was slowly figuring out that if it were put to a vote then there would be more who don't actually have anything against Mitch than those who do.

"Should I go check on him?" Scott asked, a nagging feeling in his chest that something was wrong. Connor opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Kevin.

"Scott, we already talked about it. It's best that you leave him alone." Scott thought it over for a moment before exhaling deeply through his nose.

"You're right, I'm sure he's fine." Scott took a bite of his food and joined in as the conversation turned to school gossip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't my favorite chapter but I like it. I'm not going to wish you happy Halloween again because I need to chill. I'm excited for Halloween this year which is weird because normally I don't care much about Halloween. I think it's just because last year my little sister was in the hospital with cancer and she was really sick on every holiday so I'm excited to spend them with her this year. At this time last year I didn't think she was going to live to see 2017 so the fact that she's here and in remission with a 94% chance that her cancer will never come back has us all wanting to celebrate every holiday fully.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I kinda haven't been uploading on here and I'm very sorry about that. Here are the three chapters I haven't uploaded.

Mitch sat in the waiting area outside of his dad's office. He had been told to come to the office but he wasn't sure why. He clapsed his hands together in between his legs to keep them from shaking. His mind ran through everything he had done recently but there wasn't anything that stuck out that he could be in trouble for. His dad never called him to the office unless it was something bad. They didn't exactly get along. He looked up when the door opened.

"Mitch," his dad said. The brunette stood up and walked in, keeping his head down as he walked past his dad. His mom was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk which made Mitch's stomach drop. Usually when both of his parents were around it was really bad. "Sit down," his dad instructed. Mitch sat down next to his mom.

"Mitch, your dad and I getting a divorce." His mom said with no real emotion. Mitch looked up in shock. He looked from his mom to his dad. Neither one seemed upset over this.

"What?" Was all Mitch could say. He had never seen his parents fight but then again he rarely saw his parents together either.

"It's just something that happens, Mitch. You're smart enough to know that already." His dad pointed out in annoyance. Mitch lowered his head again, fighting the urge to apologize.

"I-Is that all?" Mitch asked quietly. The news kept running through his head and he wondered if this would change anything.

"No, there's something else," his mom told him. He glanced up at her to let her know he was listening. "I'm moving to London and I'm taking your sister with me."

"You're leaving?" Mitch asked, looking directly at his mom. His eyes darted over to his dad and back to his mom. "You're taking Emily with you? What about me?" He asked, scared of the answer.

"You're staying here with me." His dad answered, not sounding pleased. It seemed he didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Why?" Mitch asked, looking to his mom. Sure she had never been the overly caring mother he wished she was but she treated him better than his dad did. At least she didn't hit him but she also didn't stop his dad from doing it either.

"I just feel that Emily is old enough that she needs to be home with me to learn the skills she needs. And just like every other boy out there, you need your father to teach you what you need to know." Mitch glanced back at the menacing man behind the desk.

"Why are you divorcing?" Mitch asked, looking at his mom. He wished his dad wasn't here because even though his mom got annoyed with him she was nicer about it.

"Just accept that we are and move on. That's all we wanted to tell you. Go back to your room," his dad demanded. Mitch didn't argue. He jumped up and nearly ran out the door. As he was walking away, his mom caught up with him.

"Mitch, wait," she said. He stopped but didn't look up at her. She ran a perfectly manicured hand through her bleached hair before crossing her arms with a sigh. "We're divorcing because I met someone else."

"What?"

"I met him on one of my trips and we stayed in touch. He lives in London and I've decided to move there with him." Mitch wasn't sure what to feel. He knew he should probably feel angry about the divorce but instead he felt betrayed. She was abandoning him. It's not like she did much to protect him but now he would be completely at the mercy of his father.

"So that's it? You're just taking Emily and running off to London? You're just going to leave me here?" His mom sighed again.

"You'll still see me. Your dad and I decided to trade kids at the holidays. This doesn't change the fact that I love you." She explained, causing Mitch to scoff.

"If you really loved me then you wouldn't be abandoning me. You wouldn't be leaving me with a monster who hurts me. You would do your job as a mother and protect me. But instead you're running off to London with some guy." His mom's expression changed to one of anger.

"Don't you dare say that I'm not a good mother. I did everything for you for the last fifteen years of your life." His mom fumed, pointing her index finger at Mitch.

"So your idea of doing everything for me is dumping on someone else? I've been raised by other people since the day I was born. You know what, I'm glad you're leaving. One less person to make me miserable." Mitch gasped in shock as a hand made harsh contact with his left cheek. Mitch stood in shock for a moment. His mom had never hit him.

"Go to your room and I hope you know that your dad will be hearing about this. You don't disrespect me like that." She hissed, her expression furious. Mitch didn't say anything, he just turned and ran to his room. So much for her loving him. Once he was in his room he slid down in front of the door. He knew he couldn't keep his dad out. He was physically shaking from fear. He decided to postpone the pain as long as he could. He grabbed his cell phone and left the room. He ran down the stairs, breathing heavy by the time he got out of the front doors.

He wasn't sure where he was going and he knew he couldn't avoid his dad forever. He made it to the clearing and went to his usual bench. He didn't care if his bullies messed with him. Whatever they do won't hurt as much as what his dad was going to do. He pulled his knees up with his chest, wrapped his arms around them, and rested his chin on his knees. Mitch closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut?

Mitch wondered how far he could get from here. Maybe he could just run away and never be heard from again. He had some money stashed up from allowances. He could find a way to live on that until he was able to work. He didn't have a work permit but maybe he could find some way to make money. He would much rather live on the streets than face his dad. he felt tears slip out of his eyes and he moved to rest his forehead on his knees to hide the tears.

Mitch sat on the bench long enough that his rear was numb and his hips were aching. He hadn't moved from his original position. He felt safe being curled up on the bench. Mitch finally allowed himself to stretch out a bit, shifting around on the bench. After he felt better, he pulled his knees back up. He hadn't grabbed a jacket and his long sleeve t-shirt was too thin. Being curled up was helping him feel less cold.

"Mitch?" He closed his eyes at the familiar voice. The last thing he needs is to be seen with Scott. He didn't reply or even acknowledge the blonde. He would be punished either way but he would rather feel like the punishment was undeserved. "I know you don't want to talk me but you've been out for a while. Are you okay?" Mitch felt tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted to tell Scott everything but it wouldn't change what was going to happen. He heard Scott sigh.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me. I'm not going to let you freeze though." Mitch felt Scott tucking something around him but didn't open his eyes. He couldn't look at the blonde because he was afraid it would break what little control he had left. Scott tugged at the fabric to close it around Mitch's front. The brunette could feel Scott standing in front of him. "You know where to find me if you need me." With that Scott was gone.

After Mitch was sure enough time had passed he opened his watery eyes. He looked around but didn't see the blonde. He looked to see what Scott had put over him. It was a large, dark blue blanket. He had tucked it around Mitch snuggly and the brunette was already feeling warmer. He wanted to cry because Scott had been nice. Scott cared enough to bring him a blanket. He cared enough to check on him and make sure he didn't freeze to death even after the way Mitch treated him. For the first time in a long time, Mitch felt cared for.

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It was dark out before Mitch started slowly making his way back to his room. He kept the blanket pulled tight around his shoulder and was holding his covered hands up to his nose. The blanket smelled like Scott. He hoped that his dad would leave him alone tonight. The longer he could postpone the pain the better.

Mitch opened the door to his room and flipped the light on. He glanced around the room and was relieved to find it empty. He went to his closet and got changed into a hoodie and pajama pants. He shut off the light before crawling into bed with Scott's blanket. He was exhausted and the blanket gave some comfort so he was able to fall asleep.

Mitch woke up to someone pounding on his door. His eyes widened when he remembered what happened the day before. He had locked the door the night before to protect himself even though his dad had a key to each room. It was a false sense of protection but at least it helped him sleep.

"Mitch, open the door." His dad demanded. Mitch knew the longer he put it off the angrier his dad would get. Mitch got out of bed and shoved Scott's blanket underneath his own so his dad wouldn't see it. He took a deep breath before unlocking the door. His dad shoved the door open and glared at his son.

"Where were you yesterday? And what were you thinking talking to your mother like that?" Mitch didn't answer. He felt it was better not to give his dad more fuel. "Answer me!" His dad demanded, smacking Mitch. The hit wasn't as hard as it could have been and Mitch knew it was just going to get worse.

"I-I was out at the benches." Mitch answered, not looking up.

"You were out there into the night?" Mitch nodded his head. "Don't lie to me!" His dad yelled, smacking him harder. Mitch tried to hold in the tears.

"I-I'm not," Mitch whimpered, knowing it was useless. His dad hit him again, this time hard enough to knock him down. Mitch cried out when he was struck and stayed on the floor. He was too afraid to move.

"You disobeyed my rules and disrespected your mother. You know that you deserve this. Get up," his dad said. Mitch couldn't move, it was like his body was frozen. "Get up!" His dad yelled, grabbing Mitch's arm and yanking him up. He threw the small teen forward onto the bed face down. Mitch wanted to run away, he wanted to yell for help but nobody would help him. He was sure most of the school knew how his dad treated him and none of them did anything about it. Nobody cared about him.

 _That's not entirely true. Scott cares._ He thought to himself. He reached under his blanket and gripped the soft fabric of Scott's blanket. Mitch closed his eyes as he heard his dad removing his belt. he knew this was what would happen but it never got easier. He gripped the blanket tighter and tried to only think about Scott. He thought about Scott's blonde hair, his bright smile, his beautiful blue eyes. He thought about the sound of Scott's laugh. He thought about how nice Scott was to him even though everyone told him not to be. He thought about the night Scott stayed with him.

Mitch cried out and buried his face into the mattress when the first hit landed on his back. He grit his teeth and tried to be quiet. His dad always told him to shut up and take it but he was rarely able to. He could stay quiet during the first few hits but the longer it went on the worse the pain was and the louder he cried. Another hit and Mitch sobbed into his sheets. He tried thinking about how Scott cared enough to check on him and bring him the blanket. He wanted the thoughts of Scott to take away the pain his dad was causing but it didn't.

Several more hits and Mitch couldn't hold in the screams anymore. His dad was stricking the same places over and over. Mitch knew it could be worse. His dad could have made him strip to his underwear but he was grateful he hadn't. His dad had only used the belt on his bare skin once and Mitch never wanted that to happen again.

"You're going to call your mom and apologize, understood?" Another hit that made Mitch scream into the mattress. He was heaving for breath and his sobs were uncontrollable now. "Understood?" His dad yelled, hitting him again.

"Yes!" Mitch cried loudly, letting out loud sobs. He screamed as the belt hit him again. He buried his face back in the mattress to muffle the cries and screams. His grip on Scott's blanket and his sheets was so tight that his hands were aching. He was right at the edge of the bed and his legs felt like jelly. He finally let himself fall since he couldn't hold himself up anymore. He slid to his knees, falling off of the bed. His grip on his bed caused the sheets to drag with him.

"You better apologize to your mother within the hour or I will be back." With that his dad left, slamming the door behind him. Mitch stayed where he was on the floor, still gripping his sheets. He was sobbing and felt like he couldn't take a breath in. His whole body was shaking and broken out in sweat. He was coughing and gasping for breath. He didn't bother trying to calm down because he knew he couldn't. He sat there and sobbed until he had nothing left.

It felt like hours before he stopped crying. He didn't move though. He just stayed on his knees with his head resting against the side of the bed. He yawned out of exhaustion. His body was sore and he felt tired. After several minutes of resting he pulled himself up and into bed. He laid on his stomach and pulled the covers over himself. He snuggled Scott's blanket, burying his face in the fabric and inhaling deeply. It didn't take long before he fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

When Mitch woke up the sun was setting. He had missed his classes which he knew meant he would be punished again. He knew his dad wouldn't beat him again so soon. He would probably just take away TV, internet, and cell phone privileges. Mitch didn't care anymore. He didn't do anything other than lay in bed anyway. He was still cuddling the blanket and it was calming him to smell Scott. He wanted Scott. He wanted to feel his arms around him. He wanted to feel safe. A couple of tears silently slid out of his eyes and he moved so they wouldn't land on the blanket.

Mitch didn't think about it as he got up and left his room, still clutching Scott's blanket. He didn't bother changing or putting on shoes. The wooden floors were cold on his bare feet but he didn't care. He got on the elevator and went to Scott's floor. When he got to Scott's room he knocked on the door but there was no answer. He tried the door but it was locked. He didn't want to go back to his room so he decided to wait for Scott. He winced and gasped as he lowered himself to the floor. He sat cross-legged with the blanket in his lap. He didn't dare lean his back against the wall.

People passed by as he waited and they all looked at him odd. He ignored the comments and questions they had. He stared at the blanket in his hands and momentarily wondered if he should have brought it. He wasn't ready to give it back yet. Maybe he could just take it with him when he leaves. Maybe Scott won't say anything. Just as he was about to take the blanket back to his room to not risk losing it, Scott got to the top of the stairs. The blond seemed surprised to see Mitch sitting in front of his door. Scott looked around the hallway before walking up to him. He could tell from how rough Mitch looked that he wasn't doing good. He didn't want to intimidate the smaller teen so he squated down in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" Scott tried to keep his tone gentle. He didn't want Mitch to be afraid of him.

"I-I don't know," Mitch said honestly, not making eye contact. Scott stared at him for a moment.

"Do you want to come inside?" He offered, motioning to his door. Mitch nodded his head which made Scott smile. The blonde stood up and held out a hand to help Mitch up. He didn't miss the wince Mitch gave as he stood. Scott unlocked his door and motioned Mitch in ahead of himself. Once they were both inside, Scott offered for Mitch to sit down and the brunette did so. Scott sat down next to Mitch, not being sure what to say. Last time he was alone with Mitch he was shoved and yelled at. He knew something else was going on so he wasn't mad at Mitch.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, not knowing what else to ask. Mitch shook his head no, not looking up. Scott looked down at the blanket Mitch was clutching tightly. It made him smile a little at seeing Mitch carrying his blanket around. "Do you want to talk about it?" Mitch didn't respond for a few moments but finally nodded his head. Scott waited to see what Mitch would say but he never said anything.

"Well, until you feel like talking, do you want to watch a movie?" Mitch shook his head no. He enjoyed just being with Scott without unnecessary noise. Scott nodded a little and stayed where he was. They sat in silence and it felt awkward and tense. Mitch wasn't entirely sure why he came here. He was risking so much. Especially since so many people had seen him in the hallway outside of Scott's door. If his dad found out... Mitch closed his eyes as the tears welled up. He couldn't handle another beating.

"What's wrong?" Scott asked with concern. He reached over and put his hand gently on Mitch's knee. Mitch couldn't reply because he didn't trust his voice. He worried he would break down if he tried to talk. Scott rubbed his hand up and down Mitch's leg, never going past mid-thigh. "Did something happen?" Mitch nodded his head, his chest jerking with a choked sob. He didn't want to cry again. He spent so much time crying.

"M-My mom," Mitch stopped himself, realizing that he never apologized to her. The fear built up in his chest, making his stomach hurt. "My phone," Mitch whimpered, trying to find it. He realized it was back in his room. He scrambled out of the bed and stumbled towards the door, ignoring Scott's questions. He basically ran to the stairs, trying not to fall as he ran to his floor. Scott was following him all the way back.

When Mitch got to his room he scrambled to find his phone. Once he grabbed it he dialed his mom's number, sitting on his knees on his bed. Scott sat down next to Mitch, confused by what was happening. Mitch's breathing was uneven and his heart was racing. His mom didn't answer so he instantly tried to dial again and once again she didn't answer. Mitch dialed his mom's number several times but she never answered. Mitch felt like he couldn't breathe and his hands were shaking so much he couldn't manage to dial the number again. Scott reached over and gently took the phone out of Mitch's hands.

"No, I need to call her!" Mitch shouted, grabbing for the phone.

"Mitch, you need to calm down." Scott said, holding the phone out of Mitch's reach.

"You don't understand. I have to call her!" Mitch was basically leaning on Scott as he tried to grab the phone. Scott pushed Mitch away as gently as he could and stood up, holding the phone behind his back when Mitch stood up too.

"Mitch, you need to calm down." Scott repeated with more force. Mitch had tears on his cheeks now but he sat back on the bed. His breathing was uneven and he was shaking. "What is going on?" Scott's tone was demanding but his expression was soft.

"Just leave me alone," Mitch whispered. Scott's heart ached at how broken Mitch sounded. He wasn't angry, he wasn't yelling at Scott to leave like last time. Scott came over and sat on the bed next to Mitch. He handed the cell phone back to Mitch who just held in his hands as he cried. Scott stared at Mitch who just looked so hopeless. Scott thought of what he wanted to say before saying it slowly.

"Mitch, you can talk to me if you need to. I don't know what's going on but I'm here." Mitch didn't reply, he tried not to cry but the tears kept coming.

"I made a mistake and if I don't correct it then my dad is going to be really mad." Several tears fell down his cheeks as he spoke. "I need to be alone to take care of it." Scott stared at him for a few more moments before leaning over and wrapping his arms tightly around Mitch's body. The smaller teen froze, his body tensing at the contact. His back was still sore so Scott squeezing him hurt but it also felt nice. Mitch wrapped one arm around Scott's torso. They sat there for a couple of minutes before Mitch moved away from Scott. He wanted to stay with Scott because he felt safe but he knew he had to make the call. He was already in trouble for waiting this long and missing his classes so he knew calling now would at least lessen the punishment.

Scott stood up and gave Mitch a sad smile before he left the room. Mitch wiped his eyes and grabbed a tissue to blow his nose before dialing his mom's number again. He once again didn't get her. He called several more times. He wondered if his dad would understand that she didn't answer. Maybe he wouldn't get in trouble just yet since she wasn't answering.

Mitch sat back on the bed with his knees to his chest and waited for a few more minutes before he tried again. He still wasn't getting through. Basically all he could do was sit and wait. He wanted to see if she would call him back or if his dad would come to see if he had called her. He went through all of the things he could possibly say to his dad, all of the excuses he could make, and how his dad might react to them.

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Mitch had been sitting on his bed all day and trying to keep his anxiety in check. He had tried calling his mom several times but she never answered. He wondered if his mom was mad at him and ignoring him. What was he supposed to do then? Would he still get in trouble? Mitch had even tried calling and texting his sister. She said she would try to get ahold of their mom too but he hadn't heard back from her.

He jumped when his phone started vibrating. He looked at the screen and saw it was his mom. He hurriedly answered it with a shaky voice.

"H-Hello?"

"Why have you been calling me so much? I've been busy. You should know that I will call you when I have the time. What's wrong?" Her tone was slightly annoyed but Mitch was just happy to talk to her.

"Um, I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other day. I didn't have a right to speak to you the way I did and I'm sorry." Mitch's voice was shaking but he tried to keep from stuttering.

"Thank you for apologizing but you really need to learn to hold your anger. You can't blow up on people just because you aren't getting your way." Mitch stared down on his lip and played with a loose string on his shirt hem.

"I know, I'm sorry," Mitch replied. He wasn't sure what else to say to her.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay," Mitch replied. "I love you," he added. His mom didn't say anything else before hanging up. Mitch tried to convince himself that she just hadn't heard him but he knew she didn't say it very often. He always told her he loved her and she rarely said it back. He knew there was no point in saying it anymore but he was hoping she would say it back every time.

Mitch got up to go to his dad's office. He had to let him know that he had apologized to his mom. He looked around and realized that he had left Scott's blanket in Scott's room. His stomach dropped at the realization. Maybe he could somehow get it back. He slowly made his way to his dad's office. He didn't want to face him since he knew his dad would be mad. Once he got to the large door he hesitated before knocking.

"Come in," his dad called. He opened the door and stepped inside. "Mitch, I was just about to tell you to come see me. You missed classes today." His dad pointed out.

"Yes, Sir," Mitch replied, staring at the floor.

"Care to tell me why?" His dad sat back in his chair, giving his full attention to Mitch which made the teen more anxious. Mitch fidgetted around with the hem of his shirt.

"I-I was too..." Mitch let it trail off. He didn't know if he should tell the truth or make up something.

"You were too what?" His dad pushed, staring at the teen which wasn't helping his nerves.

"I was too... s-sore," Mitch said quietly. His dad didn't say anything which scared Mitch even more.

"That was your own fault, Mitch. You have to accept the consequences of your actions and that doesn't give you the right to skip classes. You have a responsibility in this school and that is to show up and get good grades. Is that really so hard?"

"No, Sir," Mitch replied.

"I realized that you are supposed to be grounded but I never followed through on that after your immediate punishment. I'll be by your room in a while and I'm extending your grounding to make up for not following through. Go back to your room and wait for me." His dad dismissed him.

"Um," Mitch spoke up but the words got caught in his throat.

"What is it?" His dad asked, sounding annoyed.

"I-I called Mom and apologized," Mitch nervously explained. His dad nodded his head a bit.

"That's good but it doesn't get you out of punishment. I'll be there in a bit."

"Yes, Sir," Mitch replied before leaving the room. His heart was racing and he tried to calm himself. He wanted to see Scott again but didn't dare leave his room. He knew his privileges would be taken away. He would be stuck in his room with no electronics or permission to leave. Mitch gathered up his things such as phone, laptop, and tablet to set on his desk. He knew his dad would take them and his TV. He sat on the bed and waited for his dad.

Mitch felt like he had been sitting there forever. He was anxious and couldn't sit still. When the door opened he felt like his heart stopped. His dad walked in and looked over to the desk. He always seemed smug to Mitch when it came to punishment. He loved the power and control he had over the teen and he showed it.

"You're grounded for three weeks and you know what happens if you break the rules while grounded." His dad warned and Mitch nodded his head. He knew the punishment would be physical if he broke the rules during these three weeks. His dad gathered up his things, and turned to leave.

"Three weeks," his dad reminded before leaving the room. Mitch sighed and laid down on the bed. He knew he should go collect his schoolwork to catch up on but he didn't have the motivation to leave his bed. He was anxious and was trying to get it to go away before he talked to anyone. Things with his dad went better than he thought it would but that didn't make him any less scared. He needed time to relax his nerves.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have been reading this and waiting for the updates then please go back to chapter eleven if you haven't read that yet. I uploaded eleven, twelve, and thirteen today so if ten was the last one you read, start there please or you will be lost.

Scott hurried out of the bathroom when he heard his phone ringing. He smiled brightly when he saw it was his mom.

"Hey, Mom!" He answered excitedly. He climbed on his bed and got comfortable, knowing they would be on the phone for a while.

"Hi, sweetie, how are you?" She asked, the smile on her face showing in her tone.

"I'm good, how are you and dad?" He didn't see the point in asking about his sisters since he talked to them a lot through text.

"Same as always. Is good all I get out of you? How are classes going? How are things with you and your friends? Why haven't you called lately?" Scott chuckled.

"Classes are good, it's just school so I don't know what else I can say. Things with my friends are... good. And I haven't called-" his mom cut him off.

"Why did you pause? Did something happen with you and your friends?" Scott sighed loudly and tried to figure out how to tell her about Mitch. He felt like he was betraying Mitch's trust by talking about him but this was his mom. She didn't count, right? She doesn't know any of the students here and she most likely wouldn't make things worse for Mitch. So she was safe to talk to, right? "Scott, what happened?"

"Well, my... friend, Mitch, is dealing with some stuff and I don't know how to help him." Scott told her, not knowing how to start this conversation.

"What is he dealing with?" She asked, sounding concerned.

"Well, from the day I got here everyone was telling me to stay away from him because he tells on everyone and gets them in trouble. Supposedly he got another student expelled so the students here don't like him. I started talking to him and he's the one I work with at the library but it's back and forth on how he feels about me. One minute we're friends and the next he's literally shoving me and yelling at me to leave him alone." Scott explained, feeling his chest tighten in nerves. Before he could continue his mom began talking.

"Maybe you shouldn't be around him then. You don't need someone in your group of friends who does that to you. It's too much stress on you, honey."

"But I don't think he's actually a bad person. The more time I spend with him the more it seems like he's just.... scared. He gets beat up and bullied by others and on Halloween we went to a party and I took him to his room afterwards because he was drunk and-" his mom cut him off again.

"Drunk? There was drinking at this party? Scott you are too young to be drinking." He stops his mom before she could go into a long lecture.

"I know, Mom, I wasn't drinking," he lied. He always felt bad lying to her but some lies needed to be told.

"Alright, what happened next?" She asked, not sounding like she fully believed him.

"He didn't want me to leave him so I stayed. He was crying and asking why he was everyone's punching bag and talking about how nobody wants him. I told him that I want to be friends with him but he said I didn't. He said that once I got what I wanted I would leave him. He also told me that his parents don't even want him. And the other day he was in my room and just went into this huge panic and was trying to call his mom. He said he had to apologize to her but I don't know why. He was really scared when he couldn't get ahold of her. Also, another time I was staying with him because he was upset and I left to get food. He said he didn't want anything but I took something back for him. When I got there, he was all sweaty and could barely walk. He was crying a lot and wanted me to leave him alone. He said I couldn't b around him anymore. But then we were back to being friends in a few days. I... I think his dad is hurting him." Scott wasn't sure if he was explaining everything correctly. His thoughts were jumbled and he felt scared.

"Besides that time were there anymore instances that made you think his dad was hurting him?" Scott felt tears in his eyes as he thought of how scared Mitch always looked and the times he could tell the brunette was hurt.

"Yeah, a couple," Scott told her. He heard his mom sigh and knew she was thinking about what to tell him.

"No child should be hurt by their parents. You told me before he was the headmaster's son, right?"

"Yeah," Scott replied.

"That makes me feel concerned to have you there. If the headmaster is hurting his own child then he doesn't need to be in charge of so many other children. Have you talked to anyone else about it?"

"No, I don't know if anyone else knows." His mom sighed again.

"There's a counselor on campus. Do you want me to call her?" Scott felt his heart racing.

"No, you can't call her. Mitch can't know that I told anyone. I don't even have real proof that his dad is hurting him." Scott felt panicked.

"Scott, it's okay, calm down." His mom told him. "If he's being hurt someone needs to help him. If you don't want me to call the counselor than maybe you can go talk to her. I know it's scary and I can't guarantee that Mitch won't be upset if someone approaches him over this. But at least you'll know that he won't be hurt again." Scott thought over what she said. They were both quiet for a few minutes.

"Okay, I'll go talk to the counselor." Scott told her.

\-----------------------

Scott was nervous as he sat outside of the counselor's office. He was bouncing his knee as he listened to the ticking clock on the wall. He was trying to think of what he was going to say. Does he tell her that it's Mitch? What would she do if she knew the student's name?

Scott jumped slightly when the door opened. The student that had been in with Mrs. Fox left and Scott was called into the room by a kind voice and smile. He stood up and tried to keep from shaking.

"Hello, Scott, go ahead and take a seat." Mrs. Fox told him, motioning to a couch that was against the cream colored wall. There was a coffee table with a large, red, leather chair. Mrs. Fox appeared to be in her thirties with dirty blonde hair that was curly. She had kind brown eyes, a small smile.

"So, what brings you in today?" She asked, getting comfortable in the chair. Scott rubbed his hands together and stared at the floor. He started to think that it would have been better to let his mom call because at least she probably knew what to say. He had no clue what to tell her.

"I have a friend who I think is being... abused by his dad." Scott said slowly, not looking up.

"Are you being honest when you say it's a friend? I can't help unless you tell me the truth." Mrs. Fox explained gently.

"What? Of course it's a friend. My parents would never hurt me." Scott said, feeling defensive.

"Okay, I didn't mean any offense. A lot of students come in here and don't want to tell me what's really going on with them. I have to be sure you're telling me the truth. Now, what makes you think your friend is being abused?" Scott didn't like how easily she said 'abused'. Scott tried to gather his thoughts before continuing.

"He told me that his parents don't want him and when I went to his room he was crying and having a hard time walking." Scott's voice was shaking and he felt like he was stumbling on his words. He didn't want to get too into detail because he wasn't sure what he felt comfortable telling her. He felt like he was going behind Mitch's back.

"So this is a student here?" Mrs. Fox asked, looking directly at Scott who was too nervous to look up.

"I-I shouldn't have told you. I don't want to upset him." Scott started to get up but was stopped by Mrs. Fox.

"Wait, it's okay, Scott. If someone here is being harmed than it's the duty of the staff to handle it. We're here to protect our students." Scott suddenly felt scared and like he was going to panic. He shouldn't have said anything to anyone.

"I-I don't want him to be mad." Scott told her. Mrs. Fox folded her hands and gave Scott a sympathetic look.

"I understand you're scared but you don't want something bad to happen to your friend. You care about him and that's why you came here. It's okay to need help and you're doing what is right by trying to help your friend." Mrs. Fox assured him. Scott took a deep breath and nodded his head. "Alright, how about we discuss what has happened and what we can do to help him." Scott was still scared and he didn't know how this was going to go.

\----------------------

When Scott left Mrs. Fox's office he practically ran to Kirstie's room. He needed to talk to someone and she was the first person that came to mind. When he got to her room he knocked on the door harder than he intended.

"Come in?" Kirstie yelled, sounding confused. When Scott opened the door he found Kirstie on her stomach doing homework.

"What's up?" She asked, looking concerned.

"I just told Mrs. Fox about Mitch being abused. I feel like I betrayed him and he's going to be mad. I don't know what to do." Scott was freaking out.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, sitting up and crossing her legs. Scott was pacing in the room.

"You have to have noticed how Mitch is being treated and I've already told too many people what happened. But I told Mrs. Fox and I'm scared that she'll report his dad or call him into the office. I don't know what will happen." Scott explained, still pacing.

"Scott, you have to calm down. You don't have to tell me what happened but you do have to explain a little." She told him, Scott ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"I don't even know where to start. I'm so scared." Scott admitted. He finally sat down on the edge of the bed with shaking hands.

"Well, a lot of people have figured that Mitch's dad... wasn't kind to him but I'm not sure if anyone really knew for sure. But you do?" Kirstie asked, seeming a little uncomfortable with the conversation.

"I don't want to believe it but it seems pretty obvious what is happening." Kirstie seemed to think it over.

"And you told Mrs. Fox. Did you tell her it's Mitch?" Scott felt like he was going to cry and didn't trust his voice. Instead of answering he just nodded. "Oh..." Kirstie trailed off.

"I don't know what to do. What's going to happen?" Scott looked over at her with a begging look in his eyes.

"I honestly don't know. What do schools do when this stuff is brought up?" Kirstie asked.

"Call the cops? Don't they have to report this stuff. Oh my god, what if they arrest his dad? I have to do something." Scott wiped the tears off of his face. Kirstie put a hand on Scott's shoulder.

"I don't think there's anything you can do. Let's just wait and see what happens, okay?" Kirstie said in a gentle voice, rubbing Scott's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know all abuse cases are different but I'm going based off of my own experience which wasn't great. I was taken to a police station once to talk to the sheriff. I don't know if all police stations are set up the same way but I'm just going based on what I saw and what I was asked.

Mitch laid on his stomach on his bed while he did his homework. He was healing but his back and bottom were still sore. He hadn't talked to Scott since the day he called his mom. He was worried he had freaked him out too much. He had seen Scott in class and at meal times but hadn't said anything to him. If Scott didn't want to talk to him than he wasn't going to force it.

Mitch was quietly singing to himself as he worked. Since he was still grounded he didn't have any music. Mitch got his hopes up when there was a knock on the door. He was hoping it was Scott. He carefully got up and went to the door. He was expecting the tall blonde to be standing there but instead it was a police officer. The officer was a tall, African American man with kind eyes and a gentle smile. Mitch glanced around as his heart raced.

"Mitch?" The man asked. Mitch couldn't find his voice so he only nodded his head. "I'm Officer Larry Delani and I was wondering if I could talk to you for a while?" Mitch looked behind him at his room. He finally nodded his head and stepped aside to let the officer into the room.

"I was actually hoping that you would come with me. I would like to take you to the main office." Mitch felt more nervous now. Why did they have to go to the main office? Did his dad know a cop was here?

"O-Okay," Mitch whispered, not knowing if the officer had even heard him.

"Come with me," Officer Delani ushered. Mitch followed the man in silence. He kept his head down as they passed students. Why were there so many students just standing around? Did he do something wrong? Staring down he realized that he hadn't even put shoes on and was just in his socks. When they got to the office, Officer Delani opened the door and motioned for Mitch to go on in. Mitch was shaking as he walked in. He expected to see his dad but he didn't. Instead there were more cops going through his dad's stuff. Mitch looked back at Officer Delani who only smiled kindly at him.

"Mitch? Come take a seat with me." Officer Delani said, motioning to the two chairs in front of his dad's desk. Mitch sat in one and Officer Delani sat on the edge of the desk next to him. A different cop, a woman, sat in the other chair.

"Hi, Mitch," she said in a gentle tone. "I'm Yvett and I'm sure you have a lot of questions about what is happening and we're here to answer any questions. First I would like to explain and hopefully that will clear up some of that confusion and fear you feel right now. We were alerted by someone here at the school about the things your dad does to you." Mitch's heart stopped. Nobody was supposed to know those things.

"It's okay, we're here to help you. We would like you to come with us and answer some questions and help us understand what happened. We have taken your dad into custody and have officers questioning him. I know this might be scary to hear but if what we've been told is true than we have to remove him from here. He shouldn't hurt you or any other kid. Will you go with Officer Delani to the station?" She asked but Mitch was too in shock to reply. His dad was arrested? What was going to happen to him? Would he be sent away? What about his mom? Was she in trouble too?

"It's okay, Mitch, you can trust us." Officer Delani said, his voice calm and kind. Mitch broke from his frozen state and slowly stood on shaky legs. "How about we get you some shoes first?" Mitch was going through anyone who would report his dad. Nobody was supposed to know. Or at least they weren't supposed to care. The people who probably know have been here forever and never did anything. Why now? Then one person came to mind. Scott had been around him the most and had seen and heard things he never should have.

Mitch had so many emotions running through him that he didn't know what to think. He was scared of what would happen to him. His dad always told him that if he told anyone than he would be taken away. Was he going to be taken from the school? Taken from his family? Where would he go? And would the new people be worse than his dad? He couldn't be taken away. He was already a punching bag and he didn't want it to get worse. He couldn't be put somewhere he was going to be hurt worse.

When all of the officers were busy and Officer Delani had gone to get Mitch a pair of shoes, Mitch slowly inched his way closer to the door. Once he managed to slip out unnoticed, he practically ran to find Scott. Tears were threatening to fall but he couldn't let them. Too many people were around, curious about what was happening. He managed to get to Scott's room without being caught by the cops who were most likely looking for him now. He beat his fist against the door angrily. How could Scott think telling was best? Mitch had a plan. He was going to endure it for the next few years and then he would never be seen or heard from again. In his fantasy he was living in Paris surrounded by people who loved him and he would never return to this hell.

"What the hell?" Mitch yelled the second the door opened. Scott stood there with wet hair and nothing but basketball shorts on.

"What?" Scott was surprised by Mitch's outburst.

"You reported my dad? What the hell were you thinking? You ruined everything! Now I'm going to be taken away! Did you ever even think about what would happen to me? I had a plan, Scott! And it didn't involve being taken away and placed with someone who will hate me! I'm gay! Gay kids aren't exactly wanted and I can't imagine that's too different in the foster care system. How could you do this?" Mitch basically screamed. He didn't care anymore. He felt betrayed even though something in the back of his mind was telling him it would be fine. He was being rescued from his abusive parents and his bullies. But right now his anger and sadness wouldn't let him listen to that voice.

"Mitch, I swear I never meant for this to happen. I-I told my mom and she told me to go to the school's counselor. I don't know why I told. I'm so sorry." Scott was terrified. He regretted ever telling anyone. The tears on Mitch's cheeks broke his heart and made him feel even more guilty. Why did he have to open his big mouth?

"I hate you!" Mitch screamed, a sob coming out once the words were said. Scott tried to say something, anything, to make it better but Mitch only shook his head before walking away. He didn't want to leave but what other option did he have? They weren't just going to let him stay here and he wasn't sure if his mom was being questioned too or not. He just wanted this to be over.

\--------------

Mitch sat in a room that had two leather chairs in it with plants and art hanging on the walls. It wasn't a big room and the chairs and plants took up enough of the room that it didn't feel empty. Mitch was bouncing his knee and waiting for the Sheriff to come in and speak to him. He had been offered sweets from the vending machine and a drink but he declined them. He was too nervous to eat anything. He looked up when the door opened. An overweight man walked in who had light brown hair and blue eyes. He was a grizzled, older man who seemed stressed.

"Hello, Mitchell, I'm Sheriff Matthews." The man said as he sat in the other chair. He had a folder in his hands.

"Hi," Mitch said quietly.

"I'm sure you already know why you're here so there's no reason for me to go over it again. Your dad is not being arrested right now. He's being investigated, do you know what that means?" He asked, getting a shrug in reply. He sighed before looking back at the papers in the folders. "It means that he was accused of child abuse but no evidence has been found yet. We're searching your dad's office and talking to some people. The biggest thing that will help us is if you help us."

"So my dad isn't being arrested?" Mitch asked, feeling a little hope in his chest.

"Right," Sheriff Matthews confirmed. "Will you answer some questions for me?" Mitch nodded his head. The man's face turned more sympathetic as he looked down at one of the papers.

"Alright, do you feel safe at the school?" Mitch knew that if he wanted any chance of staying here and going through with his own plans then he couldn't be taken away. He had to answer these carefully. He was also afraid of what his dad and even his mom would hurt him if he told. They all rely on his dad's paycheck.

"I do," Mitch replied. Sheriff Matthews didn't seem to believe him but wrote down the answer.

"We were told by the school's nurse that you come in a lot and are pretty beat up. Is your dad the cause of these visits?"

"I get beat up a lot by other students." Mitch replied, trying to keep his answers simple.

"That doesn't answer the question, Mitchell. Did your dad cause you to go to the nurse?" Mitch felt his heart pounding and hoped that Sheriff Matthews wouldn't notice.

"No, he hasn't," he lied. Sheriff Matthews sighed.

"Mitchell, you have to be honest with me. We take these accusations very seriously, especially with a person like your dad." Mitch felt the pressure in his chest. He felt like he couldn't breathe and he just wanted to go back home.

"I understand that, Sir, but the accusations made against my dad were false. He's never hurt me or anyone else." Mitch said, not making eye contact. He stared at his hands and chewed on his lip.

"Okay, if you say so," Sheriff Matthews waited a few moments to give Mitch the chance to change his mind. When the teen didn't say anything, he collected his things and stood up. "You'll have to speak with someone from child protective services before you're allowed to leave." With that, Sheriff Matthews left the room. Mitch sat and bounced his knee out of nerves. He just wanted this to be over. They couldn't possibly found anything in his dad's office that would incriminate him and Mitch wasn't going to speak up. Nobody else had ever been hurt by his dad and he wasn't even sure if they would question other students. Would they question Scott since he was the one who told? That made Mitch's heart race. Who would they believe. Him? Or Scott?

He jumped when the door opened and a heavy woman with dark skin, black hair, brown eyes, and a kind smile that was painted bright red came into the room. She was dressed in a nice floral print dress with sleeves that went to the elbows and black high heels. She appeared to be in her mid thirties to early forties. She walked in and sat where Sheriff Matthews had been.

"Hi, Mitchell, my name is Patricia and I'm here because there's a lot of pretty serious accusations against your dad." Mitch cut her off.

"My dad didn't do anything wrong." He told her, staring down at the hem of his shirt he was fiddling with.

"Okay, I'm not here to accuse your dad of anything. I'm here to make sure you're safe. So will you answer a few questions for me?" Mitch nodded his head. "Alright, what would you say your relationship with your dad is like?" Mitch shrugged.

"I guess pretty normal given the life we had." Mitch answered, still not looking up.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He's always been in a high position in schools and I've been in boarding schools since I was old enough. I wasn't around him a lot during the school year so we had as normal of a relationship as we could manage." Mitch explained, choosing his words carefully so she wouldn't misunderstand or twist them.

"Has there ever been a time when you've been afraid of your dad?" Mitch shook his head no. She waited for him to answer but he didn't speak so she moved on. "Has your dad ever hit you? Or hurt you in any other way?" Mitch shook his head no again. Patricia was writing down his answers and he was hoping she didn't have many questions. He didn't want her to catch on to how nervous he was.

"Have you ever had a punishment that was too severe for your actions?" Mitch thought the questions over before shaking his head no. "Do you feel neglected by your dad?"

"No," Mitch answered quietly.

"Is your dad cruel to you verbally?" Mitch shook his head no. "Is he mean to you emotionally? Meaning, does he make you feel like you aren't good enoug? Or does he kind of pick on you until you cry?"

"No," Mitch answered. She looked down at the papers in her lap.

"Mitch, these accusations are very serious. If this true then it won't just affect you but every other student at that school. You've seen the school nurse more than a normal student would for things that no child should see them for. If your dad is hurting you then I need you to tell me. I'm here to be a friend to you and to help you. I know it's scary but you'll feel so much better if you tell me the truth." Mitch's palms were sweaty and his heart was racing. She was seeing through him. He was going to be taken away. He could feel his anxiety building and he was worried that he was on the verge of an anxiety attack.

"H-He's never hurt me. We might not have the... normal father-son relationship but... I'm safe there. He's not mean. I'm not lying." Mitch felt like he was going to cry or vomit.

"Alright, it's okay, Mitch. We're not saying your dad has done these things but we have to take this very seriously. I only have three more questions for you and then we'll be done here. Alright?" Mitch nodded his head and tried to even his breathing. "You said you're safe there, so do you feel safe there?" Mitch nodded his head and she wrote it down.

"Are you well provided for? Do you have a normal amount of clothes? Are you eating well? Able to get clean whenever you want? Provided with the essentials?" Mitch nodded his head. He felt weird that it was the only one he wasn't lying about. His parents had always provided well for him.

"Has your dad ever threatened to take away one of those things out of punishment?" Mitch shook his head no. She wrote his answer down and looked over her list of questions before smiling at Mitch who didn't look up. "Alright, that's all I needed to know. Thank you for speaking with me, Mitch. It was very nice to meet you." Mitch forced the smallest smile he could manage. She left the room and he felt more relieved that it was almost over.

\--------------------

Mitch felt exhausted when he got back to the school. Everyone he passed was staring at him as he walked by. He wondered how this was going to effect his life. He tried to keep his head down as he quickly made his way to his room. The closer he got the more his heart pounded. He finally got to his room and slammed his door. He went to change his clothes into sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt, throwing his shoes and socks to the side. He just wanted to sleep and forget everything going on.

Mitch froze when he heard someone knock on the door. Did they let his dad go already? He knew he was going to be in serious trouble when his dad got him alone. He didn't tell them anything though so hopefully his dad wouldn't be too angry with him. The person knocked again and again.

"Mitch? Can we please talk?" Scott asked, knocking again. Mitch wanted to answer the door but he didn't. He had to stop being around Scott. It was nothing but trouble for him. Scott was the whole reason he was going to be beaten when his dad got back. The more Mitch thought about it the more angry he got.

"Mitch? Please talk to me. I'm sorry," Scott called through the door. Mitch finally climbed out of bed and swung the door open with a glare.

"Leave. Me. Alone." Mitch put emphasis on each word, anger in his voice.

"Mitch, please-" Mitch cut him off.

"No, I'm done, Scott. You got my dad arrested and I've been at a police station all day. Just leave me alone. Don't talk to me anymore and just stay out of my life. You've already ruined everything for me so just leave." Mitch demanded, glaring up at Scott who looked hurt.

"Mitch, I'm so sorry. I never intended for this to happen. Please let me explain." Scott begged.

"No, there's nothing you could say to make this better. I trusted you and you went and did this? I don't want to hear whatever you have to say." Mitch slammed the door in Scott's face and waited to hear Scott leave. He didn't hear the blonde walk away but he went back to his bed. He was trying hard not to cry but couldn't stop it. Before he knew it he was in bed sobbing.

Scott had tears burning his eyes. Mitch's words replayed in his mind. Mitch trusted him and he just ruined it. He hurt Mitch and he never meant to. He was just trying to help. He wished he had kept his mouth shut. None of this would have happened if he had listened to Mitch the first time he told him to leave him alone.

When Scott got back to his room he grabbed his cell phone and called his mom. He knew it was late but he didn't care. He knew she would answer if he called. He climbed into bed and waited for her to answer.

"Hey, sweetie, is everything okay?" He could tell that he had woke her up. He took a deep breath in to try to calm himself.

"Mom, I messed up." Scott told her, not being able to hold in the tears anymore.

"What happened?" She sounded more awake now and he heard her moving around and figured she was leaving the bedroom so she didn't wake his dad.

"I talked to the school counselor and she called the police. They arrested Mitch's dad and took Mitch in for questioning. He's so mad at me. I shouldn't have told anyone." Scott was crying hard now.

"Scott, you did what was right. He might be mad now but I'm sure he'll appreciate you caring later. He's probably just scared right now but it'll be okay." She explained, trying to calm Scott down.

"What's going to happen to him?" Scott asked, afraid of what comes next.

"I don't know but I do know that you did what was right." Scott sniffled and they sat in silence. His mom would say calming things occassionally to help calm him down. He kept wiping his nose and eyes and trying to calm himself.

"Don't worry too much about it, okay?" His mom asked.

"Okay," Scott answered, wiping his nose again. They sat quietly for a few more minutes before Scott decided to let his mom go back to bed. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Try to get some sleep tonight."

"I will, bye," Scott said. He didn't really want to hang up because his mom made him feel better.

"Bye, sweetie," she replied before hanging up. Scott hung up and set his phone to the side. He looked down at the blue blanket he had used to cover Mitch up. It made him feel good to see Mitch carrying it around. He wasn't sure if it would help but he got an idea. He grabbed his notepad and wrote a quick note.

_Mitch,_

_I'm sorry for what I did. I hope this makes you feel better._

_\- Scott._

He grabbed the blue blanket and folded it neatly before taping the note to the top of it. He left his room and went to Mitch's. He wasn't going to bother him again so he would run away before Mitch answered. If he even answered the door. Scott set the blanket on the floor before knocking and rushing away from the door. He didn't stop to see if the brunette answered the door.

Mitch felt scared when he heard the knock and waited to see if they knocked again or came in. When they didn't and he didn't hear anything else he started to get curious. He stood up and walked over to the door. He cracked it open, being cautious of what could be on the other side. He didn't see anyone and looked around. He noticed the blanket with the note. He picked it up and read the note. It caused a second wave of crying. He set the folded blanket on his desk with the note on top before getting back in bed. He was still mad but he cried because he realized that Scott did care about him. He didn't want the blanket in bed with him because he wanted to be angry right now.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write because I wanted it to be right. Also, my dad was recently arrested for drug possession and for some reason that's made me feel weird about this story. I haven't seen my dad in 5 years and haven't talked to him in 4 years so I have no real connection to him anymore. I guess because I've been talking more about the things my dad did that I'm starting to feel that fear again. So this chapter has given me so much anxiety but I wanted to get it written. I actually battled with writing anything between Mitch and his dad but I feel like if I just skipped it that would take away from the seriousness of this chapter. I've had to write little-by-little to get through it and was actually shaking while writing it. I'm not sure why it's had such an effect on me but it has. I'm sorry if it's not that great. I feel like I was rushing through it at times because my anxiety was so bad. I hope people understand and if it is bad then I'll go back and try to re-write it.

Mitch went to class the next day even though he had been told he didn't have to. Obviously news traveled fast and the teachers knew what was happening so they tried to give Mitch some sympathy by letting him skip classes if he wanted to. He didn't want to stay in his room though. He was nervous that his dad would come for him. He knew it was going to happen eventually and he wouldn't be able to stop it. But maybe if he stayed away from his room and more around other people then his dad would have time to calm down.

Scott hadn't tried talking to him. He kept his distance and it hurt Mitch. The brunette knew it was for the best but that didn't stop him from wanting Scott around. He felt safe with the blond. After a lot of thinking he knew that Scott was just doing what he thought was best. He was just trying to help Mitch. What he didn't understand was that nothing could save him. Mitch felt that his only option was to do his best to stay away from his dad for the next three years and then move as far away as he could. Maybe he would even leave the country. He had always loved Paris.

"Mitch, are you okay?" Mrs. Davids asked as she walked by his desk.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, getting back to work. He could feel eyes on him and knew that other students were staring. The only good thing was that this situation seemed to weird out people so they had been leaving him alone. It had been one day though but he would take whatever good luck he could get. When he needed to stop and think he glanced around the room. His eyes met the blue eyes he really missed. Scott was staring at him but as soon as he noticed Mitch looking back he looked back at his paper. Mitch quietly sighed and turned his head the other way to look out the window.

Once class let out, Mitch gathered his things and slipped out past everyone. He was afraid of Scott trying to talk to him. The blond hadn't tried talking to him so he wasn't sure if Scott would but he couldn't handle being cornered by him. Mitch decided to fall back into his old ways and be a good child. Get up, go to class, go to work at the library, do homework, go to bed early. He had always been a good child and stuck to a routine. It was easier without people complicating things. He hadn't really been friends with anyone besides Scott but Kevin had started being friendly towards him. He needed them both to stay away now.

Mitch had a hard time focusing through classes because he was scared. He knew they wouldn't hold his dad for long and he didn't know what the school would do about him. What if his dad got fired? Would he pull Mitch from the school? It wasn't like he had much here but he had his own room away from his dad. They rarely saw each other unless he was called to his dad's office which hardly happened until Scott came along.

The teen froze when he saw his dad walk into the classroom. Everyone looked from him to his father as the man spoke with the teacher. They both turned to look at the brunette teen before his teacher spoke.

"Mitch, you're dad would like to speak with you." She said in a sympathetic tone. Mitch wondered who believed his dad was innocent and who knew he wasn't. He wondered if her sympathy was for the whole situation? Or just because she had no choice but to let him leave with his dad? He gathered his stuff and stood up, keeping his eyes down to avoid everyone. He walked to the front of the class and then followed his dad out of the room and down the halls. They made the slightly long walk back to Mitch's room.

"Put your stuff down," his dad told him. The man's voice was hard to read. He didn't sound mad but he also didn't sound calm. Mitch set his stuff down on his desk before standing with his head bowed and waited for whatever his dad was going to do. "What did you tell them?" Mitch was shaking and his heart was hammering in his chest.

"I-I didn't tell them anything." Mitch mumbled, fiddling with the hem of his uniform shirt. He jumped when his dad slammed his hand down on the desk next to Mitch.

"What did you tell them?" He demanded again. Mitch felt tears in his eyes.

"Nothing, I told them you've never done anything to me. That you aren't abusive." Mitch said, trying to make his voice louder and clearer. He knew mumbling would get him in more trouble because he was supposed to answer clearly.

"Who called the cops then?" His dad asked, crossing his arms. Mitch thought about telling him that Scott was the one who told but he didn't want to risk getting the blond in trouble. Sure he was mad at Scott but he would never want him to get hurt or kicked out of the school. "Answer me."

"I-I don't know." Mitch lied, knowing it wasn't going to help him any. His dad always knew when he was lying. Mitch was taken by surprise when his dad smacked his on the cheek. He knew he shouldn't be surprised but he hadn't been expecting it. Not yet anyway.

"Don't lie to me." His dad seethed, glaring at his son. Mitch felt a few tears slide down his cheeks.

"I'm not," Mitch replied, his voice quivering a little. The hit that he received next sent him stumbling to the side. Mitch reached up and placed a hand over the forming mark on his cheek. His dad rarely hit him where people would notice. He knew the man in front of him had to be furious to do it.

"Get over here," his dad demanded, pointing to the bed. Mitch stayed where he was but it wasn't because he was refusing, he was too scared to move. His dad reached out and grabbed his arm, yanking him to the bed. He shoved the teen to bend over the bed. Mitch gripped the bedsheets and prepared for what was about to happen. He could hear the jingling of his dad's belt as he undid it. He knew he had to be quiet and couldn't show that he was hurt after this happened. He couldn't risk more people thinking his dad was abusive. He just had to get through three more years. He kept telling himself that over and over to help get through this.

His dad never gave any warning so the first strike was always shocking. Mitch always thought he was ready but he never was. It always made him feel like his knees were going to give out and he would fall to the floor. He held on tighter to the bedsheets for support. Each hit made him want to scream but he couldn't. He had to be silent in case anyone was in the hallway. Mitch buried his face in the bed to drown out any sounds he made.

"You don't lie to me. You know better. Who did you tell?" His dad demanded to know. Mitch was crying too much to answer. He tried to collect himself to answer but before he could his dad stuck him again.

"I'm sorry!" Mitch cried out. He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for but it was the only thing he could say. His dad struck him again. "I-I didn't tell anyone, I swear." Mitch cried, trying to keep his voice down. Everything in him told him to scream and yell but he had to hold it all inside. His dad struck him a few more times before stopping.

"Until you decide to tell me the truth you can say goodbye to all privileges." His dad said as he put his belt back on. Once he was done he grabbed his son's cell phone, laptop, unplugged his TV. Mitch knew that this also meant he wouldn't be allowed to do anything besides go to class, work, and he had to eat meals alone in his room. Mitch stayed where he was until his dad was gone.

Once he was alone, Mitch stood on shakey legs and went to the bathroom to see the damage. He checked himself for any open wounds but didn't see any. He gently rubbed some cream on his bruises to help with swelling before re-dressing himself. Mitch knew he had to go back to class but wasn't ready to. He washed his face and checked to be sure he wasn't bruising where his dad had hit him. He quickly did his make-up to cover up any redness or discoloration before grabbing his bag and heading back to class.

Mitch spent the rest of the school day pretending to be fine. He had to be careful not to hurt himself or show that he was in pain. Any time he sat down too hard he had to hide his wince. Nobody bothered him or asked questions which he was happy about. As soon as classes were over Mitch headed back to his room to do homework and study until dinner. When he got to his room he changed into loose clothing before laying on his stomach on the bed to start homework.

He noticed that his dad had removed most of the stuff from his room. He sat in silence and worked on his homework. A strong sense of loneliness washed over him. He looked up at the blue blanket that was still folded on his desk. He felt his stomach churn as he stared at it. He had to forget about Scott because he needed to be better. He needed to forget that he ever knew Scott as a friend. He couldn't have friends because it just complicated things.

Mitch felt tears in his eyes as he tried to focus on what he was doing. He set his pencil down and began scratching at his arm. He had to keep re-reading the page he was working on because he couldn't focus enough to know what he just read. He decided to work on math instead because he could focus better. When he reached out he noticed his fingertips were red. He looked down at his aching arm to see it wet with blood. He hadn't meant to scratch that hard and hadn't even noticed he was actually hurting himself. He gently stood up, trying not to get blood on his bed. He went to the bathroom to wash his arm and hand off. He saw that his arm was kind of torn up but it wasn't nearly as bad as other things he did to himself. He wrapped his arm in a bandage to be sure it didn't bleed on his bed or homework.

Mitch wished that he had his music to calm him down. Since he didn't have it he decided to sing to himself. He had a hard time thinking of songs but managed to think of enough to keep himself calm.

\------------

Mitch spent the next few weeks alone. He fell back into his old ways. After two weeks his dad gave him back his privileges. Mitch had lied and told his dad that he went to the counselor and she got the wrong idea of what he was telling her. His dad of course punished him for talking to her but then after three days allowed Mitch to have his privileges back. Scott would give Mitch looks every now and then but they didn't speak. They acted like strangers which was better for Mitch.

Things with the school bullies got back to normal pretty quickly. The only difference was that a few backed off. Mitch wasn't too worried about what would happen with his family anymore. He hadn't heard much about the investigation because he wouldn't dare ask his dad about it but his dad wasn't removed from his position. He figured everything was okay now and he didn't have to worry about being taken away. He didn't have much desire to do anything anymore. He just went about his daily routine like a robot. He had no real emotion and did nothing but school. At least the upside to all of this is that he'll be able to go to whatever college he wants if he decides to go to college.

Mitch still ate in his room even though he was no longer being punished. It helped him avoid Scott and made it less tempting for both of them to talk. He had also quit his job so he wouldn't be working with Scott. Being alone together in a quiet library was bound to lead to them talking. He saved up whatever money he got to use to move away. The day after he graduates he would be gone. His parents would have no control over him anymore and he had no plan of telling them he was leaving or where he was going.

Mitch took a bite of his salad as he watched TV. He didn't really care about the show he was watching but it distracted him from everything else. He didn't care if the others students hated him for "special treatment." They always had accused him of getting special treatment because of who his dad was. He secretly felt that he deserved it a little because of everything he puts up with from his family and the other students. So what if he was treated a little differently? The other students had more freedom than him so him being allowed to break a few of the rules made them even.

Mitch wasn't happy but he was safe. As long as he was doing what his dad wanted he wouldn't be punished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have enough ideas to keep going with them being 15 so I think we're going to go ahead and jump forward to when they're 18. It'll all be in this book but it will be kind of like a sequel to this. Also, I just uploaded a two part story to my oneshot book that I'm really happy with so please go check it out.  
> Also, if you remember, the name of their School is Philmont and I don't remember if I told where that came from. It's actually the name of a band that I know like three songs by (one of which I absolutely love). But one of the band members, Josiah Prince, is apart of one of my favorite bands now which is Disciple. I was listening to their podcast Bus Banter while writing the first chapter and Josiah was talking about his old band, Philmont. I had most of the chapter written out but the school name was just an X because I didn't have one, lol.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been wanting to write this chapter since chapter three. I'm so excited for the second half of the story because everything is going to come together. There's going to be drama, tears, and happiness for everyone!   
> Also, I'm doing better from everything I said in the last chapter. My monthly break down is over and I'm back on track, baby. But I am going to talk to my doctor about seeing a psychiatrist so maybe these break downs won't happen as often.

Mitch sat on his bed watching videos on Youtube while eating a slice of chocolate cake he had gotten himself. Today was his eighteenth birthday and he had gotten a check from his mom which he put towards his new apartment he would be getting next summer. He swore that he would have a place to live before he graduated and he would be out of here the day after graduation. He would never have to see his family again or any of the assholes in this school.

He wasn't entirely sure yet where he was going or what he was going to do when he got there but he was excited. He thought about going into modeling or something but hadn't made his mind up. Mitch glanced up at the clock and noticed that it was already four in the afternoon. Most students went home for summer break so the building wasn't too crowded and Mitch enjoyed it. All of his bullies were gone and so was Scott. The blonde hadn't really spoken to Mitch since they were fifteen. Mitch was thankful for that because he hadn't been in serious trouble since then. Life went back to normal. It didn't mean Mitch didn't miss Scott.

There was a knock on the door and Mitch paused his video and set the cake aside before getting up. He opened the door to see the woman who delivers mail to the students. He never got mail so he was shocked to see her.

"Hi, you have a package," she told him. She held out a box to him and he felt shocked. Who else would send him anything? His mom always gave him a check for his birthday and his grandparents would send a card with some money but they were the only ones who acknowledged his birthday.

"Thank you," Mitch said, finding his voice again. The woman smiled before walking away. He shut the door and carried the box to his bed. After sitting cross-legged on the bed he grabbed the scissors off of his night stand and used to it to cut the tape off. When he opened it the first thing he saw was a large alien spaceship made out of cardstock. He picked it up and looked at it with a small smile when he noticed writing on the back. He felt his heart pounding at what was writen on the back.

_I think you're out of this world!_

_Happy 18th Birthday, Mitchy!_

_Love, Scott._

There was even a little winky face drawn next to Scott's name. Mitch felt tears in his eyes and hated how emotional he got. This was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. He set the card aside to see what else was in the box. There was some snack stuff like goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, and a few candy bars of different types. There was a book with a note taped to the cover that said, "thought you might like this. It's one of my favorites." There was also three, small, wrapped presents at the bottom.

Mitch opened the first present which was a clear rectangle with water and galaxy glitter inside it. There was a note taped to one side so Mitch peeled it off and opened it. It explained that the present was supposed to help with anxiety because you can watch the glitter settle and it was pretty. He picked up the next one and unwrapped it. It was a necklace with a hand that had an eye on the palm that had a blue gem inside the eye. It was on a a cardboard holder that explained that it was Hamsa Hand which was supposed to bring good luck and happiness. The last present was the biggest which he saved for last on purpose. He laughed after opening it because it was an adult coloring book full of swear words with pretty designs around them. There was a pack of colored pencils wrapped with the book.

Mitch found a note at the bottom explaining that everyone deserved to have something to open on their birthday. Mitch stared at all of the gifts Scott had sent him and felt like crying. He didn't understand why Scott cared so much for him. He yelled at him and told him to leave him alone more than once. His life was a wreck and yet Scott still cared for him. Even after three years Scott still thought of him.

Mitch wanted to call Scott but he didn't have his number. He had somewhat lost feelings for the blonde over the years but this made his heart swell for the other. He wondered if this meant things were going to change when school started again. He looked at the clock again and saw that it was time for him to start getting ready for work. He went back to work at the library after he found out that Scott had quit there. He loved the library more than any other job. Mrs. Wallace was leaving the library and Mitch was slightly happy. She had never liked him so he was happy someone new would be coming in. He hoped maybe this person would like him.

Mitch got dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before slipping on his shoes. He grabbed his stuff and put it in his pockets before picking up the necklace Scott sent him and put it on with a smile. He put everything else back in the box and slid the box under his bed to hide it. His dad never went through his room and nobody else was in here but he always hid things that meant a lot to him. He checked himself in the mirror before leaving the room and heading for the library.

When Mitch opened the library door he saw that there was nobody in the library which wasn't surprising since it was summer. Mitch headed towards the back room and when he went past the front desk he was shocked to see a young man sitting behind the desk. The man had longer, blonde hair. He was reading a book with his feet up on one of the shelves of a book cart. Mitch stopped and couldn't help but stare at him. The man looked up from the book in his hands and gave Mitch a smile.

"Can I help you?" He asked, setting the book into his lap. He had beautiful green eyes.

"Oh, um, I'm Mitch Grassi. I work here," Mitch explained, blushing a little. The man smiled and moved to stand up. He held out his hand to Mitch who took it.

"I'm Beau Sloane the new librarian." He introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you," Mitch said, smiling. Mitch felt the awkwardness between them now because he felt like he should say something else but couldn't think of anything.

"If you need anything let me know," Beau told him with a smile. Mitch nodded his thanks before heading into the back room to get to work. There were a few books that needed to be put on shelves. Mitch began sorting through them based on where they go in the library. He heard the door open and saw Beau walk in. He smiled at Beau before going back to what he was doing. Beau walked over and started helping Mitch. They worked in silence and occassionally smiled at each other.

"How old are you?" Mitch finally asked, hoping to get some kind of conversation going.

"I'm twenty-one," Beau answered. "How old are you?"

"I actually turned eighteen today." Mitch told him, getting a huge smile in return.

"Happy birthday!" Beau exclaimed excitedly. Mitch blushed and looked down with a smile.

"Thank you," Mitch mumbled shyly.

"You're welcome. So last year of school." Beau said not as a question.

"Yeah, I'm so ready to get out of here." Mitch replied, hoping Beau wouldn't ask why.

"I get it, I couldn't wait to leave high school. Any plans for college? Or not for you?" Mitch shrugged, still not knowing what he was going to do.

"I've thought about going for fashion but my parents would never allow it." Mitch explained, trying to pretend like it wasn't a big deal.

"Ah, I see," Beau nodded his head.

"I think I'm gonna move to New York City or Los Angeles and get into modeling or fashion or something and then go to school later." Mitch told him, finishing up what they were doing.

"That sounds like a plan. A better one than I had in place." Beau chuckled, following Mitch out of the room. Mitch went to the shelves and began putting books back where they go. He noticed Beau kept staring at him and would smile when they met eyes. Mitch would blush and look away. He began to wonder if Beau liked him. Why else would he be staring and smiling at him? Mitch wondered what would happen if anything did happen between them. What if they kept it secret? Nobody would know and his dad wouldn't find out. Mitch shook his head and put the idea aside. He couldn't risk it again. And he doesn't even know if Beau is gay or likes him.

"How is life living in a boarding school? I always wondered how this all works." Beau asked, his voice echoing in the silent library.

"Um, it's like living at school." Mitch chuckled.

"I can see that," Beau laughed too. "Are you closer to other students because you all live together? Is it still normal school where everyone hates each other?"

"I couldn't tell you because I'm that student that everyone else hates. So I couldn't tell you what normal students lives are like." Mitch explained, realizing that talking to Beau wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. Beau had this laid back, easy going personality that just radiated off of him. He was kind and seemed sweet. Mitch was already starting to trust the man behind the desk.

"Oh, I was kind of that student too. I came out in Freshmen year as gay and that was a mistake." Beau explained with a small chuckle.

"You're gay?" Mitch asked in slight shock. Beau nodded with a smile. "So am I," Mitch said quietly. He still felt a small bit of shame for his sexuality.

"Really? That's cool," Beau told him. Mitch noticed Beau look him up and down quickly and it made him feel slightly self-conscious about his body.

\-------------------

Mitch laid in bed watching YouTube and eating some of the snacks Scott had sent him. He kept thinking about Beau. They had spent the entire evening talking and getting to know each other. He found himself really liking Beau and they had even exchanged numbers. Mitch was kind of hoping that something might happen between them and maybe he could forget his feelings for Scott. Mitch heard his phone and looked to see that Beau had texted him.

 **Beau: Hey, enjoying the rest of your birthday?** Mitch smiled and typed a reply.

**Mitch: Oh, it's lit. YouTube and goldfish crackers. **Mitch sent the text and waited for a reply which came pretty quickly.****

********

**Beau: Sounds fun. If you want, you can come to my room and hang out. I have some sweets and such.** Mitch bit his lip and thought it over. Nobody was really around so it wasn't that risky.

********

**Mitch: Alright, let me get dressed and I'll be there soon.** Mitch sent it before getting up to change out of his sweat pants. He checked his phone when he got another text.

********

**Beau: You don't have to change. If you're in pjs that's fine because so am I. I'm on floor three room 315.** Mitch chuckled at the text before replying.

********

**Mitch: Alright, be there soon.** Mitch put some shoes on before grabbing his key and phone. He shut everything off in his room before heading out. He kept an eye out for anyone. He was so afraid of being caught. He made his way from the dorm building and went to the building where teachers stayed. He had rarely been in this building so he felt weird walking in. He went to the stairs and ran up to Beau's floor. When he got to the room he knocked and it didn't take long for the man to open the door. He was in a black band shirt and gray sweat pants.

********

"Hey, come on in," Beau said, stepping aside to let Mitch in. Mitch thanked him and walked inside. The teacher's dorms looked pretty similar to the student dorms which didn't surprise Mitch. The only difference is that the rooms were slightly bigger. Beau had a bed against one wall and a small couch against the same wall as the head of the bed. There was a TV hanging on the wall opposite of the bed and a small table in the corner at the foot of the bed that the mini fridge and chest freezer were next to. There was also a small microwave on a shelf above the mini fridge. There was a closed door inbetween the table and foot of the bed that Mitch assumed was the closet since the door to the small bathroom was open on the other side of the room.

********

"Alright, I have some cookie dough and ice cream so I thought we'd make cookie dough sundaes." Beau told him, pointing at a mini fridge and chest freezer.

********

"That sounds amazing." Mitch told him, looking around the room.

********

"It's not much but it's nice. Make yourself at home and I'll get us some ice cream. The remotes are either on the couch or the bed. Pick something on Netflix." Beau told him, opening the cabinet above the microwave that had some disposable bowls and plates in it. He grabbed the ice cream scoop from the cabinet too and began making their ice cream. Mitch went to find the remotes and once he did he sat on the couch and started looking through Netflix. He decided on a movie and waited for Beau to finish what he was doing.

********

"Get ready for a sugar coma." Beau told him, handing one of the bowls to Mitch.

********

"Thank you," Mitch told him. Beau grabbed the remote and started the movie. They watched while eating ice cream and occassionally talking. Mitch watched as Beau licked the ice cream off of his spoon. He shifted a little when he realized he was getting turned on by watching Beau. The man turned to smile at him when he realized Mitch was staring. Mitch smiled back and turned back to the TV. He was definitely starting to feel something for the green-eyed man sitting next to him.

********

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't freak out! This is not turning into a Meau story. I know what I'm planning on doing and Beau plays a part in it. This will end with Scomiche, I promise. Scott won't reappear until chapter eighteen. The next chapter will explain what role Beau has in this. I was happy with this chapter because Mitchy got so much love and he deserves it! Also, obviously Beau wasn't planned to be in this but I decided to give him a few chapters because I love Beau.   
> Also, no hating on Beau! He's amazing and sweet! He loves Mitch so much. So no commenting about how you don't like him or hating on him. Any comments about not liking Beau will be deleted because there is absolutely no reason to dislike him. I understand it's your opinion but there's no need to comment on my story about how much you dislike him.


	17. Chapter 17

Mitch and Beau had spent pretty much every day together over two weeks. Mitch had started to fall for Beau but he was still afraid to let him too close. Mitch felt a little less afraid of getting close to someone because he only had months left before he was free. He still had feelings for Scott but he was also attracted to Beau. He didn't know how things would go once Scott got back for the new school year. He didn't want to have feelings for both of them so he knew he had to pick one or the other. That wasn't an easy decision though.

"You know that once the school year starts I won't be able to do this, right?" Mitch asked, looking up at Beau. They were cuddling on Beau's bed with Mitch's head resting on Beau's chest. The TV was quietly playing but neither of them were really paying attention. Mitch had been scared the first few times Beau tried to cuddle him because he wasn't used to it. He also didn't want to get too into Beau because this couldn't last. They had to separate in a few weeks.

"I know, then you'll just have to sneak out at night." Beau chuckled, squeezing Mitch a little. They hadn't really talked about what they were because they couldn't really be anything. They had made-out a few times and Beau kept taking a step farther each time. Mitch found that he really enjoyed the physical attention. He loved having Beau on top of him when they made out. He loved the way Beau's hands would roam over his body and how Beau grabbed his ass while kissing him. He craved that feeling. He couldn't help it. He was a sexual teenager who had honestly wanted this attention for years but had nobody there to give it to him.

"Someone's getting excited," Beau teased when he felt Mitch getting hard. Mitch's face went bright red and everything in him was saying to move away from Beau. The green eyed man held him tighter with one arm and ran his hand down to Mitch's ass. Mitch leaned up to kiss Beau while the man rubbed his hand over his body. After a few minutes of their make out session and Beau grabbing and rubbing at Mitch's lower region, the older man pulled away.

"I was thinking, it's obvious that you are just as horny as I am, right?" Mitch nodded, his cheeks turning red again. "So how about we do a little friends with benefits kind of deal?" Mitch's eyes widened slightly.

"A-Are you serious?" He asked, searching Beau's eyes for any indication he was messing with him. Beau smirked at him and nodded his head.

"Yeah, what do we have to lose?" Beau asked, slipping his hand inside of Mitch's jeans but staying above the underwear. Mitch bit his lip as he thought it over. He hadn't been with anyone since Tyler.

"I don't know, I've only been with someone once and that was a long time ago." Mitch told him. Beau continued feeling him up which Mitch was perfectly fine with. He liked being touched by Beau.

"How long ago?" Beau asked, meeting Mitch's wide eyes.

"Five years," Mitch mumbled, hoping Beau wouldn't think badly of him. The older man's hands stopped their movements and he looked at Mitch with slight concern.

"You were thirteen five years ago." He pointed out, seeming shocked. Mitch only nodded his head. "You lost your virginity at thirteen?"

"Can we not talk about that right now. It wasn't a great experience." Mitch confessed. Beau still looked concerned and Mitch could only imagine what Beau was thinking about. He hoped he hadn't ruined the moment. "If I agree to this can we go slow?" Beau smiled at him.

"Of course, this is to give us both what we want physically. It's an equal pleasure kind of deal. We don't do anything that the other isn't comfortable with and we both are satisfied at the end." Beau explained, still smiling at him. Mitch smiled too, moving up to kiss Beau while he went back to moving his hands. Mitch wasn't entirely sure how far he wanted to go just yet. He would definitely have to build up to intercourse.

\-------------------

Mitch wiped his mouth as Beau did his pants back up. They were in the back room of the library and Beau had pinned Mitch against the wall to show that he was horny. Beau had pleasured Mitch first. Mitch was smiling as he stood up. Beau pulled him in for a kiss before they checked their clothes and left the room. Mitch grabbed the book cart he had originally came in for and Beau held the door for him. They smiled at each other before going their separate ways. Mitch put books away and straightened up shelves while Beau did whatever he did at the front desk.

Mitch kept feeling guilty after every time he was with Beau. He wasn't sure why. The only thing he could think of was that he didn't feel worthy of the attention. He spent so much time pushing people away that now allowing someone to be close to him and this intimate made him feel bad. They had only been fooling around for about a week and hadn't gone all the way but Mitch was worried that if they did he would run away from Beau. Sex came with a lot of emotions especially for him since he didn't regularly get that attention. He was worried it would make him afraid and that he would leave. He liked the attention and was afraid he wouldn't get it anywhere else.

Mitch knew he should express his fears to Beau and maybe they could work it out together. But he was also too afraid to be too open with Beau because what if he scares him off? There were times that Mitch wished he hadn't agreed to this friends with benefits deal but he was also enjoying it. He felt so confused. Mitch froze when he saw his dad walk into the library. He stayed where he was, expecting his dad to come up to him. They met eyes but the man turned to go to Beau. Mitch's heart was racing. Had his dad found out what him and Beau were doing? Was he going to fire Beau and punish him? Mitch and Beau met eyes and he could tell Beau was just as nervous.

Mitch worked slowly and tried to hear what was being said between Beau and his dad but couldn't make out anything. He kept staring at them and Beau wasn't really speaking. He couldn't read his dad's lips since he had his back to him. They talked for maybe ten minutes before he saw Beau nod and say something. His dad turned and they met eyes, Mitch instantly looked down. The man left the library and once Mitch was sure he wouldn't come back he sped-walked to Beau.

"What did he say?" Mitch asked, looking back at the door. He didn't want his dad to come back and see them talking.

"He was just telling me that we're getting in a big shipment of new books because they're starting up two additional classes in the fall. The books should be here this weekend and he has some people coming in to help us move stuff around. We need three new bookshelves put up. They're moving some stuff around in the back corner to make room for the new bookshelves. Once the shipment comes in it's up to us to document the books in the system, tag them, and sort them on the shelves." Beau explained, causing Mitch to relax. He couldn't imagine what would happen if his dad ever found out about them. Mitch turned to go back to work but was stopped by Beau grabbing his hand.

"Don't worry about it, okay? We've been really careful and once school starts up again we'll figure out how to be careful and creative." Beau smirked at him, getting a small smile in return. Mitch wasn't sure they could keep this going once school started. It was too risky.

\----------------

Mitch laid in bed with Scott's blue blanket. He stared at the ceiling and thought about Beau and Scott. He didn't want to go from being a loner to being in a triangle. But was it really a triangle when he was just hooking up with one and afraid of being with the other? He felt like he was ready to start opening up more to other relationships but he was still under his dad's control and had to be careful. If him and Beau had made this work then maybe him and Scott could make something work.

Mitch heard his phone and knew exactly who it was. Beau was the only person who texted him regularly. He chose to ignore it because he wasn't in the mood right now. He really liked Beau and he enjoyed what they were doing but it didn't feel like it was enough. Sure Beau cuddled him and they kissed but then Mitch would leave and be alone. It wasn't what he wanted or felt he needed. He needed something constant. Someone who didn't text him just because they were horny. He knew Beau didn't want him that way because he would have asked instead of just being f.uck buddies.

Mitch's phone began ringing but he didn't move to answer it. He normally would jump at the chance to go see Beau but he didn't want to tonight. He couldn't define what he felt. Lonely, guilty, sad, used? He didn't know. He was sure Beau wasn't trying to use him. He had agreed to this but he didn't feel like he really wanted it. Was he really so desperate for attention that he was willing to hook up with someone he just met? He didn't even ask Beau any questions that he now felt were important. The biggest being if he was sure he didn't have any STDs or STIs. But was it not cool to ask that type of thing? Did it throw off the mood? He wasn't sure because he had never done anything like this.

He rolled over to face his window and stared out the open curtains for a while before shutting his eyes to try and sleep. He would talk to Beau tomorrow and maybe they would work this out.


	18. Chapter 18

Scott had hoped to hear from Mitch about the birthday gift he had sent him. He knew Mitch didn't have his number since he had gotten a new one but he had his hopes up that the brunette would reach out to him on social media or write him a letter or send a thank you card. He knew he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up but he wanted to know he made Mitch happy. Since he didn't hear anything he started to worry that it didn't reach Mitch. Maybe he just hadn't gotten it yet and it would be a late birthday gift? Or maybe it got lost in the mail? Scott was afraid it was the latter.

"You keep spacing out on us." Mark pointed out. Scott looked up at Mark and Mason who were sitting at the round table with him.

"Oh, um, sorry I have a lot on my mind." Scott told them, eating another fry.

"Are you thinking about Mitch again?" Mason asked through a mouthful of burger. Scott sighed and stared down at his arms that were crossed on the table.

"I know it's dumb to worry about whether he got his gift or not but I can't help it. I told you guys how he was treated and I wanted to make his eighteenth a happy day and what if he didn't get it? Or what if he's still pissed at me?"

"It's been three years since all of that. Do you really think he would still be mad? You didn't even do anything." Mark pointed out.

"I caused him a lot of stress because I didn't listen the first time he told me to leave him alone. I got his dad arrested which he was obviously punished harshly for. I wouldn't be surprised if he was still angry." Scott explained before taking a bite of his burger.

"Why don't you just find him on social and message him? The worst he can do is ignore you right?" Mason suggested.

"Or get furious with me." Scott mumbled. "I don't want to do anything to upset him. I guess I'll just have to wait for school to start back up to see what his reaction is."

"I can't believe you're going to be gone again for nine months." Mark pouted, getting a smirk from Scott.

"I'll be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas as always." Scott pointed out.

"But we never see you at Thanksgiving or Christmas." Mason added, putting on his best sad face.

"I know but I can't help that my entire family passes me around when I'm home." Scott chuckled, getting a smile from his friends.

"I know!" Mark exclaimed, a huge grin on his face. "How about we go on a trip after we all graduate." Mark glanced between Scott and Mason to see their reactions and was met with growing smiles.

"Where would we go?" Scott asked, liking the idea.

"I don't know, we can figure that out later. But we all three need to save as much money as possible so we can go crazy and celebrate freedom from school." Mark replied, danicng in his seat a little.

"And then we'll be back in school in the fall for four or more years." Mason pointed out with a chuckle.

"Let me pretend like I'll be free." Mark jokingly snapped, still dancing in his seat. Scott and Mason laughed at him which made his smile wider.

\------------------------

Scott laid in bed and browsed Tinder while listening to Mark and Mason talk. Mason was laying beside him and Mark was laying with his head on Scott's stomach and legs over Mason's waist. Scott wasn't entirely interested in their conversation. He hadn't really dated because he wasn't openly out but he still hooked up in private which was the only reason he had Tinder.

He decided to put away Tinder for a while and instead went to Mitch's Twitter. He had found it a while ago but never followed the brunette. He didn't know how Mitch would feel about him following him. Plus he was a little afraid of being blocked if Mitch knew he found him. So instead he secretly stalked him. He had realized that Mitch was a lot different online. He seemed more confident and funny. He retweeted cats and things about being awkward and posted his own funny tweets. He rarely posted pictures but Scott guessed he understood why.

"Yeah, Scott could really use a shower. I'm dying down here." Scott heard Mark say, bringing him back to reality. He looked down at Mark to see him staring up at him with a smile. He turned to Mason and the two burst into laughter.

"We've been talking about you for like two minutes now. You've really mastered tuning us out, huh?" Mason asked sarcastically. Scott chuckled and playfully rolled his eyes.

"Sorry but your conversation was boring me." Scott told them with a smirk, causing them both to laugh.

"What are you doing anyway? I don't think you've set your phone down once the last hour." Mason pointed out.

"I was on Tinder and now I'm on Twitter." Scott explained, finally locking his phone and setting it aside.

"Have you had anymore hooks up that you won't go into detail with us about even though we're supposedly your best friends?" Mark asked, smirking to show that he was joking.

"Yes, actually, I have. And no, I'm not going into detail about it. You guys don't need to know how or who I fu.ck." Scott replied in a joking tone. He loved and trusted Mark and Mason. He knew they wouldn't judge him because Mark was openly gay and Mason was open about the fact that he was questioning. Scott wasn't confident in himself. He still felt fear and maybe a little shame about what he felt even though he wasn't one hundred percent sure what he was. He wished he could just say the words to them. He wanted to tell them that he was also questioning but couldn't get the words out. He had come close to it more than once but always got scared. He wasn't sure what he was afraid of though.

"Do you hook up with people at school?" Mark asked, looking up at Scott.

"I have," Scott shrugged, his cheeks turning pink.

"Isn't that weird though?" Mason asked and Mark agreed.

"Yeah, you live with those people most of the year. Is it weird to hook up and then see them every day?"

"Not really, it's like normal school. You two hook up with people from school and then see them every day. If there's a bad hook up you just avoid them and pretend you don't know each other. Boarding school is kind of the same." Scott explained.

"I guess that makes sense. So you have had bad hook ups?" Mark asked, honestly interested.

"I'd rather not discuss this," Scott told them. He knew they weren't trying to push him or trick him into telling them anything. They talked a lot about their hook ups and didn't understand why Scott didn't want to talk about his. He was open about everything else in his life except intimacy. He could see why that would seem weird to them. He had no issue talking about sex until it's about his own sex life.

"Alright, alright, no more hook up talk." Mason agreed with a smile.

"Who wants to play some Mario?" Scott asked, hoping to keep them off of hook ups for now. He knew the conversation would work its way back around to it because they were horny young men but at least it was off of him for now.


	19. Chapter 19

Mitch was gasping as Beau pulled out of him. The older man rolled to the side and removed his condom while Mitch caught his breath. Mitch turned to smile at Beau who smiled back. Being with Beau had honestly been way better than when he was with Tyler. Beau took care of him and made sure he was comfortable and not hurting. It made Mitch feel even more attracted to Beau even though he knew he shouldn't. It was the first time they had had intercourse and Mitch was worried they had just made things more complicated.

"Are you okay? You don't hurt or anything?" Beau asked, motioning for Mitch to move closer. Mitch felt a bit weird cuddling Beau while they were both naked. They had just had sex so he knew it shouldn't matter but it felt weird now that they weren't turned on anymore. He snuggled up to Beau and rested his head on the man's sweaty chest. His cheeks heated up when he felt his cum sliding down his stomach from his new position. He realized he hadn't cleaned himself up.

"What's wrong?" Beau asked, feeling Mitch trying to push away from him. Mitch's cheeks turned a darker red at being caught. He didn't want to get too close because he didn't want to get any cum on Beau.

"Um, can I... can I have a tissue or something?" Mitch mumbled, not meeting Beau's eyes. The green eyed man smiled a little when he realized what was wrong but didn't say anything. He leaned over and grabbed a tissue to hand to Mitch who reached under the blankets to clean himself up. "I'm sorry," Mitch wasn't sure what he was apologizing for but he felt like he needed to say it.

"For what?" Beau asked, pulling his eyebrows together.

"I-I don't know," Mitch replied, shaking his head a little. He wasn't sure what to do with the used tissue until Beau took it from him and threw it in the general direction of the trash can.

"I'll pick it up later." Beau told him, gently pulling Mitch closer to him. Mitch liked how gentle Beau was. He felt like Beau was giving him the chance to pull away, like he didn't want him to feel pressured or forced. Everything Beau did to him was very gentle and caring. He seemed to always be checking on Mitch even if he stayed silent. He would give Mitch the chance to say no or push him away. Mitch appreciated how gentle Beau was.

"Do you want to take a shower?" Beau asked.

"Um, sure," Mitch answered. Beau let him go and climbed out from under the covers and started towards the small bathroom. Mitch stayed on the bed a little shocked. Beau turned back to look at him.

"Are you coming?" Beau asked with a smirk.

"Y-You meant that we'd shower together?" Mitch clarified, his cheeks pink again.

"If you're okay with that. I mean, if not you can go first." Beau offered, motioning to the bathroom. Mitch was trying not to look down Beau's body. It wasn't like he hadn't seen Beau's body before but he still felt awkward by how secure and confident Beau was. He had no problem standing in the middle of the room naked. Mitch felt too insecure to get out of the bed but he liked the idea of showering together. It had always been a secret fantasy of his.

"I-I'd like to shower with you," Mitch told him quietly. Beau smiled at him and motioned for him to join him. Mitch bit his lip and tried to talk himself into climbing out of the bed. He would have to stand naked in front of Beau if they were going to shower together but he still had the urge to keep himself covered.

"Mitch, there's nothing to be shy about. I've already seen your body and it's amazing. You don't have to hide it from me." Beau reminded him in a gentle tone. Mitch blushed with a smile as he slowly climbed out of the bed. He allowed the blanket to stay on the bed. He didn't meet Beau's eyes as he walked to him, fighting the urge to cover himself with his hands. When he got close to Beau, the man pulled him closer to kiss his forehead. "You're gorgeous, baby." Mitch smiled at the compliment and followed Beau to the shower.

\----------------------------

Mitch had spent the night with Beau and then all day with him at the library. He felt closer to the man and more connected which he knew was dangerous. He knew he wasn't supposed to feel so strongly for the other. It was a friends with benefits deal which meant they get each other off and go about their day. But Mitch was starting to want more. He spent so much time with Beau but knew there was nothing between them. They were just fu.ck buddies.

After they were done for the day, Mitch hoped Beau would ask him to come back to his room but the man didn't. He told Mitch bye and left, leaving the teen with a slightly broken heart. He felt rejected even though Beau didn't reject him. He felt sad at the realization that the only way he would be asked to Beau's room was if the man got horny later.

When Mitch got to his room he had an overwhelming sense of loneliness settle over him. He hated how he felt when he was alone. His mind started to come up with horrible things like Beau was just using him and everything Beau told him was just to get in his pants. He had found himself staring in the mirror a lot more to see if what Beau said about him was true and usually he couldn't convince himself that Beau was telling the truth. His body wasn't amazing. He had flaws, there were spots that looked weird, body hair that he felt insecure about, bumps and scars. He wasn't gorgeous.

He knew he needed to talk to Beau but he kept putting it off. He didn't want to freak out Beau and have him leave for good. He didn't want to be pushed away. And as long as he was getting attention and feeling like he was being cared for then he would put up with these feelings. But now he was starting to think that feelings were becoming too much. He didn't want to feel used after everytime they were together or rejected when Beau didn't invite him over. He didn't want to feel replaceable but he knew he was.

They weren't in a real relationship and Beau could decide that he's done with the teen and move on to someone else. He could decide to take a different job and then Mitch was alone again. There was nothing keeping Beau here and Mitch could lose him at any time. He wanted what he saw in movies or read in books where the guy falls head-over-heels for you and couldn't imagine leaving you. But this wasn't a romance story and Beau didn't feel that way about him.

Mitch kept checking his phone in hopes that Beau would ask him to come over but he never heard from him. He was desperate for attention and the longer he waited for Beau the more desperate he got. He opened his Twitter and tapped the search icon. He bit his lip while his thumb hovered over the keyboard. He finally typed in the familiar name and saw Scott's picture pop up. He went to the profile and searched through to see what Scott had recently posted. He had secretly stalked Scott on Twitter for a while but never had the guts to follow him.

He wanted attention and he didn't really care who it came from at this point. He took a deep breath before pressing the 'Follow' button. He waited and stared at his phone as if Scott was going to instantly DM him or something. He didn't even know if Scott would DM him. It was possible that he didn't have his phone with him or he was too busy to start a conversation right now. Mitch had a moment of feeling pathetic. He had started classifying himself as an attention whore but he couldn't help it. When you go so long without much human comfort and then you suddenly get it, you crave it.

After fifteen minutes of nothing from Scott he started to feel disappointed. There was no follow back or DM. He knew it most likely meant that Scott hadn't seen the notification but he couldn't help feeling unwanted. Beau didn't want him tonight and now Scott didn't want him. He felt the familiar burning in the back of his throat and the tears in his eyes. He prayed that he would get some kind of notification from either man. He didn't care which one or what it was at this point. He just didn't want to be alone anymore. He felt stupid for crying over this.

He finally decided that he had been pathetic enough and locked his phone before setting it on the bedside table. He tried to fight back the tears and the feeling of hurt. Neither one had done anything to hurt him yet he felt his chest ache. He wiped the tears off of his face and glanced over his phone even though he knew it would alert him if he got a notification. He had to accept that he was spending the night alone.

\-------------------------

Scott was panting as he thrusted into the guy on all fours in front of him. It was another random Tinder hook up which had become a bit of a habit for Scott. The guy was named Michael and he was pale with blonde hair and brown eyes, and his body was very slim. Scott had a tight grip on Michael's hips as he sped up. Michael was making small noises but he wasn't very vocal which Scott was fine with. He didn't mind either way.

He felt Michael tighten around him and heard him let out a moan as he came. Scott tried to get off quickly since he knew it was never fun for the bottom to have to endure too much more after they'd already came. He worked himself hard until he finally released into the condom. He kept their bodies connected for a few seconds to come down from his high before he finally pulled out. He took the condom off and wrapped it up in a tissue before laying it on the floor. He would bury it in the trash later.

"That was great." Michael told him with a smirk as he cleaned himself up a little.

"Yeah, it was," Scott agreed even though he had had better than Michael. "Do you want a drink or anything? And you can use my bathroom if you need to clean up anymore." Scott told him. He was always nice to his hook ups. They were giving him what he needed so the least he could do is offer them a drink and a proper place to clean up.

"Thanks but I'm good." Michael said, tossing the tissues next to Scott's condom on the floor. He stood up and began dressing. "If you ever wanna hook up again, shoot me a text." Michael told him in a flirty tone before checking to make sure he had everything and then leaving. Scott was happy they had finished before any of his family got home. He would be mortified if anyone came home and caught them. He grabbed his sweat pants and slipped them on before grabbing the tissues and condom off of the floor and going to the bathroom to bury them in the trash can. He went back to his room and grabbed a clean pair of boxers, clean sweat pants, and a t-shirt before going to get in the shower.

After Scott got out of the shower he went to the kitchen to get a snack and drink. He found that his sisters and mom were home now. He made small talk with them before grabbing a bottle of water and a bag of chips. He went back to his room and put something on Netflix before straightening up his room. He used some Frebreeze in the room to get rid of the sex smell before fixing his bed. He sat down and got comfortable to watch a show and eat chips.

Like always, he checked his phone to see if he had gotten any messages while he was busy. He froze when he saw the Twitter notification. Mitch had followed him? He instantly clicked it as if he was going to find that it was false. Mitch had actually followed him. He checked to see when Mitch had followed him to make sure he wouldn't seem weird for instantly following back. He saw that it had been awhile so he followed him back. He wasn't sure if it would seem too desperate to DM him right now. He decided to wait a while and see if Mitch messaged him first.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I keep forgetting to update on here. I update a lot faster on Wattpad (same username) if you'd rather read over there.

It had been a week since Mitch and Scott followed each other on Twitter. Neither one had messaged the other. They were waiting to see if the other would do it first. Scott was trying to get everything together for school in a couple of weeks. He sorted through clothes and items he wanted to bring with him. He had kept himself busy so he didn't spend much time on his phone. He was trying to cram in as much time as he could with his family and friends before leaving again. The end of summer was always harder for him than any other break.

When he had switched to Philmont it had been the hardest decision. He had been running away from a bad situation at his last school. Things with a certain bully started to get out of hand to where he was honestly afraid. He had talked to his parents about wanting to leave so over summer they transferred him. Maybe that was why he felt so strongly for Mitch. He was too embarrassed by what happened and hadn't told anyone. Not even Mark and Mason knew why he left his old school.

Scott's door opening up caught his attention. Mark walked in with a smile.

"Do you even know how to knock?" Scott asked sarcastically. Mark and Mason were so comfortable with the Hoying family that they rarely knocked before coming in. When Scott was home they were usually around daily.

"Nope," Mark popped the 'P' as he fell on to Scott's bed. Scott rolled his eyes with a smile as he continued his list. He had made sure to write down everything so he could be positive he had everything. "When do you go back?" Mark asked, watching Scott go through his closet and writing down more.

"Uh, August fourteenth I think." Scott replied, finishing his list for now. He knew he would add things to it leading up to school and would probably forget something that he would have his parents mail him.

"Do you ever wish you went to normal school?" Scott shrugged as he started putting things back where they go.

"There are times I think it would be easier but I like boarding school. I like the independence it gives you and you meet people from all over. But I do miss my family and you guys." Scott had hated boarding school when he was younger because he just wanted to be home with his parents but he now appreciated the separation because it helped him grow more and his parents were more willing to give him and his sisters more freedom.

"Well, only one more year and then you won't be able to escape us." Mark joked, making Scott chuckle.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, babe." Scott winked at him before he fell on to the bed next to Mark, making him bounce. "Is Mason coming over, too?"

"Am I not enough?" Mark asked with fake hurt.

"You two are connected at the hip so I figured he wasn't far behind." Scott replied with a smile, making the other laugh. Ever since he had met the two he had hardly been around just one. It seemed like it was always Mark and Mason. Mark's phone went off and he checked to see who had texted him.

"Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear." Mark said, causing Scott to laugh. Mark quickly typed a reply to Mason letting him that he was at Scott's.

\-------------------

Scott was sitting in bed talking to someone on Tinder. There was a lot of flirting going on and was starting to think the guy was going to invite him over. The guy had made it very obvious that he was just looking for a hook up and nothing else which Scott was down for because that's what he was doing too. Just when the guy messaged him wanting to know if he was busy, another notification popped up. It was a DM from Mitch. Scott instantly went to Twitter, forgetting all about the stranger.

Mitch: Hey, how are you? Scott didn't care that it was a simple message. He was just happy to hear from Mitch. He didn't know if it was bad for him to reply right away but he didn't care. They had been following each other for a while and Mitch obviously expected a reply so it wasn't too soon.

Scott: Hey! I'm good. How are you? Scott wasn't sure what else to say so he hit send.

Mitch: Pretty good. Thanks for the birthday gifts. Scott's face lit up at that.

Scott: You're welcome. I'm so glad you got it! Scott got a call from Mason but he ignored it until it went to voicemail. He loved Mason and Mark but he had spent all day with them and now Mitch was the only person on his mind now.

Mitch: How is your summer going? Scott hated that it felt awkward talking with him. It was obvious Mitch didn't know what to say to him either. Scott was afraid of over-stepping the line. In his mind, Mitch had a very thin line drawn for him and it was very easy for him to cross it.

Scott: It's been great. I went on a week vacation with my family in June. Now I've just been hanging out with a few friends and my family. It's been pretty chill. What about you?

Mitch: My summer has been spent at the school so I guess it's not any different than during the school year. I've been working in the library but not as much since there's like nobody here. Scott felt bad that Mitch had spent the summer alone.

Scott: I'm sorry to hear that. I'm gonna be honest, I don't know what to say. Scott's heart was beating faster. He didn't want Mitch to stop talking to him. He had waited so long to talk to Mitch again.

Mitch: Lol, I don't either. Scott felt disappointed when Mitch didn't add anything on to that. He felt that the conversation must be over since he didn't have anything to say either. He thought through everything he did this summer, trying to find anything he could tell him. He couldn't think of anything. He set his phone side to see if Mitch would think of anything.

\----------------------

Mitch stared at his phone and prayed that Scott would say something else. Him and Beau hadn't really spent time together the last few days. It was mostly just that they would hook up and then go on with their lives. Beau was still sweet to him, he still seemed to care, but he also didn't seem to have time for Mitch. Beau was busy since they were getting ready for the school year. Mitch never realized how much the librarian was involved in the school until he got close to one.

Mitch felt that he wanted too much attention. He tried to understand that he can't have Beau's attention 24/7 but he craved it too much. Whenever Beau would be too busy for him he would want to turn to Scott. He hadn't reached out to him until now. He was afraid that Scott didn't want him anymore. It had been so many years since they had even talked. He figured Scott had probably found someone else. He had an idea on how to know what Scott felt towards him but he felt it was low. He finally decided he didn't want the conversation to end.

Mitch: There's a new librarian this year. His name is Beau and he just started a few weeks ago. Mitch hesitated before hitting send. He chewed on his bottom lip as he waited for a reply.

Scott: Really? Have you been working with him? Mitch debated what he should say next. He knew what he wanted to say but was it right?

Mitch: We've done more than work together. Mitch added a winking emoji at the end then stared at it. He thought about deleting the emoji but sent it anyway. He got nervous when Scott took a while to reply. Did he make him mad? Did he hurt his feelings? That couldn't be it, Scott wasn't into him.

Scott: Really? Are you keeping him from your dad? That hurt and Mitch wasn't sure why. He imagined Scott saying it in a angry tone. He didn't want to upset Scott. What was he even doing?

Mitch: Maybe we shouldn't talk about this. Sorry I brought it up. Mitch wished he had never mentioned Beau. This wasn't how he wanted Scott's attention.

Scott: No, it's okay. We can talk about you and Beau. I just didn't think you would be with anyone from school with your dad around. Mitch felt embarrassed by all of this.

Mitch: Are you mad at me? He felt like a little kid but he needed to know.

Scott: No, I'm not mad. Why would I be mad?

Mitch: Because I wouldn't be around you at school but now I'm with Beau. He chewed on his lip again as he waited for a reply that seemed to take forever.

Scott: So you're with Beau. Like, together? Mitch didn't want to explain that he was just Beau's f.uck buddy. What would Scott think of him if he found out?

Mitch: We're not actually together. We're just testing it out, I guess. Mitch felt that that was a better way of saying it because part of him hoped that Beau would actually want him and they could be together.

Scott: Oh, I see. I hope things work out between you two. I've been with some people this summer too. Mitch felt like he had been punched in the gut. It hurt to hear that Scott had been with others but he had no right to feel hurt. He pushed Scott away and he knew Scott didn't want him. He was pretty positive Scott wasn't gay.

Mitch: Really? So you've been dating. Have you found anyone? Mitch silently hoped Scott would say he hadn't.

Scott: I said I was with some people not that I was dating them. Scott added a winking emoji and Mitch's eyes widened.

Mitch: You mean you've been hooking up?

Scott: What else would I be talking about? Mitch felt his cheeks heat up. He had been doing a lot with Beau so he shouldn't be embarrassed about sex talk. Mitch felt jealous but no longer the type of jealous where he wants to tell Scott more about Beau. He felt jealous in the sense that he wanted to cry from hearing Scott had other options. He knew there was no way him and Scott could be together but he also didn't want to share him.

Mitch: Oh, sounds like you've been a busy boy. Mitch also used a winking emoji. He still felt hurt but knew he had no right to. He decided to joke with Scott. It was obvious the blonde was talking to him as a friend so he couldn't show that he was upset. He didn't want Scott to get annoyed and leave him.


	21. Chapter 21

Scott and Mitch had talked pretty much all day every day since talking on Twitter. Mitch found himself talking to Beau more about Scott and the man seemed to get a little jealous. For some reason it made Mitch want to smile. He enjoyed knowing that Beau wanted him so badly that he got jealous when Scott was brought up. But he also didn't want things to be awkward when Scott got back to school on Monday.

Mitch was laying on Beau's bed playing around on his phone. Beau was in the shower since he had just gotten back from a run. Mitch heard the water shut off and he felt a little excited. They hadn't fooled around for a few days since they were so busy with the library. And more students were arriving to school so it was getting harder to sneak around. Mitch was starting to think that this was all going to end as soon as all the students came back. Beau came out in just a towel. He smirked when he saw Mitch look him up and down.

"Enjoying the view?" Beau joked, making Mitch blush. Mitch's phone went off and he saw that he had a text from Scott.

Scott: All packed! I'm actually excited for this school year. One more year 'til freedom, bitch! Mitch smiled widely as he replied.

"Who are you talking to?" Beau asked, getting Mitch's attention. The teen looked up in time to see Beau drop his towel to put on boxers. Mitch's cheeks heated up and he looked away. Even though they had slept together it still made Mitch blush.

"Just Scott," Mitch shrugged, typing out a quick reply to the blond.

"Oh," was all Beau said, causing Mitch to frown. Beau came over to the bed in a pair of blue sweat pants. He climbed on the bed with Mitch, leaning over to kiss the teen's neck. Mitch smiled and moved his head to give Beau more access. Beau made sure not to leave a mark. Mitch made it very clear that he could not leave marks that people would see. Beau respected it because he knew it was to protect Mitch and he had to protect his job. Beau moved to lay on top of Mitch who smiled up at him.

Mitch gasped a little when one of Beau's hands moved to palm him. Beau moved to kiss Mitch's lips as he pleasured the teen. Mitch had his hands against Beau's chest as they made out. He slowly moved his hands over Beau's torso, feeling all of the muscles. Mitch's hands were slightly cold which caused goosebumps on Beau's warm skin. Mitch broke the kiss when he phone started ringing. Beau moved back to Mitch's neck, peppering kisses down his neck and to his shoulder. He used his tongue to trace what was exposed of Mitch's collar bone while Mitch checked his phone.

"Mmm, is it important?" Beau asked, glancing over to see what was on Mitch's screen. He saw it was Mitch and Scott's text conversation.

"Not really," Mitch answered, trying to type a quick reply with one hand. Beau reached over and locked Mitch's phone before taking it from him. He tossed it on the nearby couch.

"Hey," Mitch whined with a small smile.

"I've been craving you for too long for you to be distracted right now. He can wait," Beau smirked. Mitch rolled his eyes before leaning up to kiss Beau's soft lips. They made out while Beau moved their lower bodies together. Beau moved a hand up under Mitch's shirt, slowly pushing the fabric up. He groaned when Mitch's phone began ringing.

"Beau, I have to see who it is." Mitch told him, not actually wanting to get up.

"Let it go to voicemail," Beau mumbled.

"What if it's my dad?" Mitch asked, looking over at the phone that had stopped ringing. Beau groaned and reluctantly rolled off of Mitch so he could check. Mitch checked his phone before setting it back down and going back to Beau who was now leaning back against the wall. Mitch crawled up on the bed to stradle Beau's lap.

"Wasn't important?" Beau asked, resting his hands on Mitch's hips.

"No," Mitch answered, moving to kiss Beau's neck. Beau's hands moved around to grab Mitch's ass. Mitch didn't want to tell Beau that it had been Scott who called. He knew there was some jealousy about Scott and he didn't want to ruin the mood. He needed this attention right now almost more than Beau did.

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Mitch had gone back to his room after being Beau since the man had a lot of work he had to get done. Beau was taking online classes for college and he did year round classes to finish early. He didn't mind Mitch staying around while he did his work but he needed it to be quiet so he could focus. Mitch found it got pretty boring to sit and watch Beau do schoolwork so he decided to let him work alone.

Mitch laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling while music played from his laptop beside him. He hadn't called Scott back but he did text him. The blond didn't reply so he figured he had gotten busy. Mitch secretly wanted to be closer to Scott after graduation but he was afraid to express his desire. He just wanted to form a real friendship. He didn't plan on going back to Texas after graduation but he knew Scott was. He didn't see how their friendship could be more than texting and talking on the phone or over Skype.

Mitch fantasized about what his life would be like after he was done here. He wanted to move somewhere that he would have significance. He knew that homosexuals were more accepted in Los Angeles and New York City which was why those were his top choices. He was leaning more towards LA since he wanted to pursue music. He knew it wouldn't be easy because he had no real work experience and he would be starting out with nothing. His parents would cut him off as soon as he left this campus. They had plans for his future that he didn't want to do. He was eighteen which meant he could make his own decisions. Even if his own plans left him poor and living in a crappy apartment somewhere it was better than trying to be perfect like his parents wanted.

Mitch had never had to struggle for anything. Sure his parents didn't care about him but they gave him everything he needed. For years Mitch felt that he owed his parents for all that they supplied him with. He had always tried so hard to follow their plan for his life because he felt he owed it to them. But the older he got the more he realized that their plan wasn't what he wanted. He didn't owe his parents anything. It was their job to raise him and supply him with the things they did. For them to act like he had to repay them for those things was abusive. Mitch was tired of being abused.

He decided he was too bored to stay in his room. After putting his shoes back on, he grabbed a book and headed out of the building. A lot of students had already returned but there was still some time before people had to absolutely be here. He knew the campus would be chaos on the return day. He put in his earbuds to drown out the noise of other students. The other students were definitely not going to be missed by him. He hated most of them and couldn't wait to be away from them.

He felt someone shove him from behind and he wasn't able to get his hands out on time to catch himself. He hit the ground hard, causing him to wince in pain. After he lifted himself up into a sitting position, he took his earbuds out.

"Oops," he heard someone say with a laugh. He looked up to see Jackson with another guy. Most of Mitch's bullies weren't back or had moved on from him. Some had actually matured and stopped their bullying but Jackson was a jerk who would never change. Mitch didn't say anything, he just looked at his scratched up arm. There was blood oozing from some of the scrapes and the wounds were covered with dirt.

"Asshole," Mitch mumbled low enough that Jackson didn't hear him.

"What was that?" Jackson asked, glaring down at the smaller boy. Mitch only shook his head, still staring at his arm. He winced when Jackson kicked his leg hard. "What did you say?" He demanded to know, kicking Mitch again in the same place.

"Hey! Leave him alone," Mitch looked up in shock. Nobody besides Scott ever interrupted. Even Kevin stopped defending him after Scott quit hanging around him. He saw a guy with blonde hair that was swept to the side and hanging down in his face. The guy had make-up on and looked very feminine. Mitch was shocked by the guy's appearance. The slim guy stood over Mitch in front of Jackson and his friend. He crossed his arms and shifted so his right hip was sticking out.

"Looks like Mitch got himself a girlfriend." Jackson said with a smirk.

"Really? The best insult you have is calling me a girl?" The guy asked with a smirk. "I know at least twenty girls who could kick your ass so I take that as a compliment actually." Jackson didn't seem to expect the guy to reply.

"Whatever," Jackson rolled his eyes.

"Nice come back," the guy sassed. Once Jackson and his friend walked away, the blond turned to Mitch.

"Are you okay, hunny?" He asked, squatting down to be at Mitch's level. He was looking at Mitch's arm.

"I'm okay," Mitch told him, glancing down at his arm. The guy stood up and held out his hand to help Mitch up.

"I'm Jeffree," the guy introduced himself.

"Mitch," he replied, dusting off his clothes. "Thank you, by the way."

"It's not a problem. I dealt with jerks like that at my last school and I vowed to establish my dominance over them from day one here." Jeffree said with a chuckle, getting Mitch to smile.

"Most of the bullies here are cowards. There's a no tolerance rule here and most of them can't afford to get in trouble. Well, that's supposed to be a rule but it's not enforced for everyone." Mitch explained, mumbling the last part.

"My old school had that too but for some reason people got away with it. But the second I stand up for myself and punch one of them I'm kicked out, yelled at by my parents, and enrolled here." Jeffree told him with a shrug. Mitch was looking Jeffree up and down. He was beautiful. His make-up was perfect and he was wearing ripped up, black skinny jeans and a gray shirt with a black outline of Marilyn Monroe on the front. "You're staring," Jeffree chuckled.

"Sorry," Mitch looked down. "It's just that we've never had a student like you." Mitch told him. Jeffree chuckled.

"Not many schools have. Is your arm okay?" Mitch looked down at the scraped up arm and nodded his head.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he answered.

"Care if I join you?" Jeffree asked, confusing Mitch a little until the blond motioned down the path.

"Oh, um, I don't mind. I was just going to the sitting area." Mitch motioned down to his book. They began walking towards the sitting area and making small talk. Mitch learned that Jeffree was also in his senior year. That his parents traveled and moved around a lot for work. They had tried homeschooling him but Jeffree didn't like it since he was constantly in a new place and it was hard to make friends. So his parents had agreed to enroll him in a boarding school where he could have some kind of normalcy. Mitch hadn't really talked about himself and Jeffree caught on quick that Mitch didn't want to go too into detail about his own life.

"So you're the Headmaster's son? That must be hell," Jeffree chuckled.

"You have no idea," Mitch muttered. They were sitting on the bench the farthest from everyone else.

"Where do students go around for some privacy? Any good spots where you won't get caught?" Mitch looked at him in suspicion, causing him to laugh. "I'm not a bad person and I'm not a trouble-maker. I just enjoy smoking a little but it's frowned upon by schools."

"Oh, well, I think out in the woods is the only place where you can be alone."

"Let's go find a good spot," Jeffree stood up and Mitch looked at him with wide eyes. He finally stood up and began walking with Jeffree. After they got the farthest from the school they could, they found an area off of the path to sit. Jeffree pulled out a joint and Mitch's eyes widened.

"Weed?" Mitch asked, watching Jeffree light it.

"I don't smoke cigarettes. They're bad for you, ya know? Have you ever smoked weed?" Jeffree asked, taking another hit.

"No, but I don't really know anyone who smokes." Jeffree held out the joint and Mitch stared at it for a second before shaking his head no.

"That's cool," Jeffree shrugged, taking another hit. Jeffree began telling Mitch stories about his old school that caused Mitch to laugh. The brunette hoped that him and Jeffree would become friends after this.


	22. Chapter 22

Scott opened the door to his dorm room and walked in with his parents. They were helping him to get settled back in. He always hated saying goodbye to his parents. He had a new room mate this year. He was hoping they would get along well enough to make it through the year. He saw that the person had already moved in on the empty side of the room. All of Scott's things that had been left for the summer were still the way he had left them. After he got all of his stuff in his room and put away, he walked back out to the car with his parents.

"I'll see you at Thanksgiving," Scott told his parents. He hugged his mom who held him tightly.

"It's never easy leaving you here," she told him.

"This is my last year," Scott reminded her.

"Yeah, and then you're off to college. I still have a good four years until you're home for good." She pointed out. She kissed Scott's cheek causing him to smile. He turned to give his dad a tight hug. Once they pulled away they exchanged 'I love yous' and 'goodbyes' before his parents climbed into the car. He waited until they were out of sight before heading back inside. He said 'hi' to a few people as he walked back to his dorm room. He began straightening up things and putting up some of the stuff he brought with him. He kept looking over the other side of the room. He wanted to get a feel for who his new room mate was. Something he noticed was all of the make-up.

As Scott was putting some stuff in the closet, he sang along to the music coming from his laptop. He stopped when he heard the door opening, figuring it was his new room mate. A very feminine, blond guy walked in talking and laughing with someone behind him. Scott smiled when he saw Mitch walk in behind the guy. Mitch looked scared for a second before smiling a little.

"Hey," Scott greeted. The blond looked between Mitch and Scott before smiling at Mitch.

"I assume this is Scott," he said, looking at Scott.

"That would be me," Scott answered. "I'm guessing we're room mates?"

"Yep," the guy said, walking the rest of the way into the room. He sat on his bed and patted the space next to him for Mitch. The small brunette walked over with his eyes on the floor and sat down. "I'm Jeffree," he introduced himself. Scott looked between Jeffree and Mitch. He was happy to see that his room mate was being nice to Mitch.

"How was your summer?" Mitch asked, feeling awkward for asking. They had pretty much told each other everything.

"It was good. I think I told you everything already." Scott said, sitting on his bed across from them.

"Right," Mitch nodded a little, his cheeks turning pink. He hated being so awkward. It was different talking to Scott in person rather than over texts. Mitch was different when he was hiding behind a phone. He was happier and goofier in texts. He couldn't figure out how to get that Mitch out during face-to-face interactions.

"What were you two up to?" Scott asked, trying to make the atmosphere a little more relaxed.

"He was just keeping me company," Jeffree said with a small smirk. Scott knew there was more to what Jeffree was saying but decided not to ask. Part of him was a little jealous at the suggestive tone. Mitch smiled a little without looking up. Scott wanted to ask but decided to let it go. He couldn't come across as jealous. It got quiet again and it felt awkward for everyone. "Who wants to get a snack?" Jeffree suggested, hating the awkwardness between the other two.

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Mitch and Scott were in Scott's room watching TV. Jeffree had left them to go take a shower, giving them some time alone. Mitch was mad at Jeffree for leaving them alone. He had asked not to be left alone for the first few days so when Jeffree announced that he was taking a shower, Mitch felt betrayed. He was afraid and he wasn't sure why. He could sneak around with Beau but he couldn't be in the same room as Scott? It made him slightly mad at himself. He shouldn't be afraid of Scott but he was.

"So," Scott said from his bed. Mitch was sitting cross legged on Jeffree's bed and picking at the comforter under him. He wasn't sure what to say and Scott apparently didn't either. "Mitch, I don't want things to be awkward between us." The blonde finally said, staring at Mitch who was staring at his lap.

"I don't either," Mitch agreed.

"Then why are we making it awkward?" Scott questioned, chuckling nervously.

"I-I don't know," Mitch sighed, looking up at Scott. "I guess I'm nervous?"

"I get it. We had a rough start to our friendship and it's weird with me being back. We don't have to be great friends on campus we can text and be friends on socail media with occassional hanging out. Then we can be friends after graduation hopefully." Scott said, searching Mitch's face. He seemed shocked by what Scott was saying. Mitch had always been the one putting stipulations on their relationship.

"Um, I-I guess we can do that." Mitch agreed. Part of him didn't want to just be friends on their phones. He wanted to spend time with Scott whenever he wanted but this was probably better for both of them.

"But after graduation you're going back to Texas and I'm going to either Los Angeles or New York City." Mitch pointed out, not seeing how their friendship could be different after graduation.

"Well, I'm actually applying for colleges in Los Angeles because I want to pursue music. So if you choose L.A. over N.Y.C then we can hang out. If not, maybe I could fly out to see you sometime." Scott explained, smiling at Mitch. The brunette smiled a little.

"You're going to pursue music?" Mitch knew that Scott could sing since he posted videos on his social medias of him singing at a piano at home.

"Yeah, I hope maybe I'm good enough to do my own music but I'm also open to working in a recording studio in the meantime. Extra cash is always nice," Scott chuckled.

"I've heard you sing and I know you are," Mitch complimented with a shy smile.

"Thanks," Scott smiled brightly. "Do you know what you're going to do?"

"Either music, acting, or modeling. Maybe all at some point." Mitch's cheeks were slightly tinted pink and he had a small smile.

"You would be amazing in the modeling world." Scott winked at Mitch, making his blush darker.

"Shut up," Mitch mumbled, still smiling. He liked the compliments but he wasn't used to it. The deal Scott proposed sounded like the safe thing to do but when it came back in mind for Mitch his smile fell. "Scott?"

"Yeah?" Mitch chewed on his thumbnail and thought about what he was about to say. He wasn't sure what the right thing to do was but he knew what he wanted to do.

"I don't want to just be friends on our phones." Mitch admitted, not looking at Scott. He was nervous that he was making a mistake. Maybe Scott wanted to keep his distance to protect himself. Mitch knew he had been horrible to Scott in the past. He had been scared then though and he wanted to explain that to Scott eventually.

"Are you sure?" Scott finally asked.

"I'm tired of being afraid of my dad. I've made things work with Beau and we've been.... risky," Mitch blushed thinking about the times they had oral sex in the back room of the library or the suggestive touches and words exchanged during work. "This is my last year being here and I want things to actually be fun for me."

"If that's really what you want then let's do it." Scott said, with a shrug. He was honestly happy that Mitch said that. He didn't want to stay away but he wanted to give Mitch the space he needs. He didn't want a repeat of the last three years because this was their last year of school. He wouldn't get another chance after this.

"C-Can I just ask one thing?" Mitch asked quietly.

"Of course," Scott replied nervously.

"Can we not sit together at meal times? We can hang out outside and in our rooms but I just don't want to be in crowded areas that much. Even with Beau I don't see him in the more crowded areas." Mitch explained.

"Yeah, that's perfectly fine." Scott understood why Mitch was still afraid. He wasn't going to say anything about Mitch's dad ever again. He should have minded his own business from the start.


End file.
